State of the Meta
by Yung Warrior
Summary: A self-insert in which a competitive player from 2016 finds himself warped into the world of GX. Between adjusting his deck to make up for the inverted power creep, making grades, and saving the world, there's much to do, but all good players know how to adapt to their circumstances. SI-OC, 1st Person POV
1. Can Someone Get Me A Banlist!

**A/N**

 **Hi, fellow readers! Welcome to my new story. I've never written a SI before, nor have I written in a story exclusively in 1st person POV, so I'm looking forward to seeing how this story goes. I've written this in spurts across the summer, whenever I haven't been working. As of the first chapter going up, I have about 50k words written. This has come pretty easily to me so far, so I look forward to writing more. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this initial chapter and what you think of this concept, as well as the few OC's I'll be incorporating. If you have any questions about writing choices I made or what inspired certain elements of the story, I'd be happy to answer them. I'll be using the dub names throughout the story, hope that isn't a dealbreaker to anyone. Enjoy!**

Chapter 1: Can Somebody Get Me A Banlist?!

I've never been a huge fan of self-insert fanfiction. I always looked at them as shamelessly self-indulgent wish fulfillment fantasies, and rather disliked the idea of a random joe who has foreknowledge of the plot waltzing into the story and fixing up everything. After all, what is a story without its dramas and pitfalls? What is so appealing about a hero who casually patches up all points of conflict in the story while perhaps picking up a harem or two along the way? Not much of a story at all, I thought.

Of course, I didn't exactly think that way now.

Waking up in the body of a fifteen-year old boy with the consciousness and knowledge of an adult was mind-boggling enough. Being called "son" by parents who were not by own was surreal, to say the least. Thank god I don't have to call them by their names, or else I would probably be penning this from the inside of a mental asylum.

A million questions zipped through my head as I woke up in a completely unfamiliar bedroom in a completely unfamiliar body. As soon as my eyes opened, I zipped about the room, taking in the trappings of this boy's life. He seemed to be a big fan of sports, ice hockey in particular _. "At least we have that in common."_ I mentally sighed with relief.

Slowly, it dawned on me that I was not in the same universe that I came from. I peered through the boy's- _my_ -desk drawers and found a collection of magazines, many of them price catalogs for the latest Yugioh cards. At first, I simply thought that the boy must be a big fan of the franchise.

Then, I looked towards the relatively ancient PC sitting on the desktop. Booting it up, I noticed the unusually long loading times the computer had, and immediately knew that the era I was in did not quite possess the same technological prowess that existed in 2016 of my world.

Sure enough, the computer listed the date and time as being October 4, 2004.

Before I complained, I reasoned that things could have been much worse. For one thing, I could have been reincarnated in prehistoric times, where there was no technology or modern luxuries available to me at all. I could have been born into slavery. I could've been born into a warzone- everything seemed peaceful so far. Not having smartphones and social media was hardly something to whine about in comparison.

Immediately, I opened up the boy's internet browser (I didn't recognize the name of the browser- it certainly wasn't one that existed in my world) and thanked my lucky stars that a search engine appeared. I hastily searched for current events under the news toolbar.

"KAIBALAND HOLDS 10TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY"

My jaw dropped when I saw this headline on the screen. This is Yugioh, baby. Specifically, I recalled with embarrassing swiftness, this is ten years after the events of the original series, which means that this is the time period of Yugioh GX.

And what do you know, I'm just the right age to begin my first year at Duel Academy. Surely this boy was a duelist, every single man, woman, and child in this silly franchise knows how to play this card game. Frantically, I looked about the room for a deck of cards. At the bottom of the closet, I found a sleeved deck neatly slot into a KaibaCorp regulation duel disk. "Thank god this kid knows to put his cards in sleeves. This way, we can sell at near-mint later!" I rejoiced outwardly, speaking aloud for the first time in this new body. My voice had a distinct west-coast inflection, and thankfully wasn't too high-pitched. Hell, maybe self-inserts weren't all that bad bad after all.

I thumbed through the cards, only to yet again pause in shock. If that kept happening, I was never going to get anything done. I was worried that I would have to learn the ins and outs of a new deck, but that was the least of my concerns.

The deck was filled with cards from 2016. Specifically, they were the new Melodious Diva Support, including those new fusion monsters of theirs. These cards hadn't even been printed in the TCG as of October 2016, yet here I held them in my hands. In fact, now that I think about, this was the very last deck I played on YGOPRO before I was warped into whatever crazy situation this was.

Coincidence? I think not. Although part of me cringed at the thought of playing cards based off of idol singers, they would undoubtedly be extremely powerful in this time period.

Unfortunately, these cards would have to be shelved for the time being. As much as I would enjoy OTK-ing every opponent that crossed my path, there's no way I could possibly use this deck without being accused of using counterfeit cards. Although such a claim would be categorically untrue, I would be guilty of using cards no one else had. Perhaps I could claim to be Maximillion Pegasus' adopted son, and these cards to be a birthday gift from him to me.

Actually, that would be ridiculous. For the time being, I would have to use some older cards. Digging through the boy's closet, I found a shoebox full of cards, and these were all congruent with the time period. He seemed to be a bit of a collector, having a few cards that I know for a fact would be quite rare around this time period. I grinned widely when I found a copy of Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning. My smile faltered when I realized just how necessary a banlist for this time would be. I knew that Raigeki would most likely be banned, so I left it out of the build.

After about thirty minutes, I had successfully built a deck based around the infamous goat control format of April 2005. Oh, perhaps it wasn't nearly as flashy as Jaden Yuki's Elemental Heroes or as devastating as Zane Truesdale's Cyber Dragons, but I imagine their monsters get destroyed by Mirror Force just like everything else in this time.

With a sense of wistfulness, I placed the Melodious Diva deck inside of a black deck box before throwing it into a backpack. Looking up, I glanced at the clock. 7:33 AM. In times like these, I appreciated being a morning person. I could use a cup of coffee all the same though.

Suddenly, I heard a sharp rapping on my wooden doorframe. "Jamie, get out of bed! You'll want some breakfast before your duel examination. Shower up and come down!" A caring, yet somewhat nagging voice intoned from outside.

 _"Ah yes, the kid's mother. So, my name's Jamie, huh? Hopefully my last name isn't Lannister."_ I wondered if the Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire books were even a thing in this universe. If not, then I stood to make some serious coin. Come to think about it, is Kazuki Takahashi a person in this world? If so, has he written the Yugioh manga yet? Will he ever? Questions for later.

"Sure thing!" I said quickly before rising, hoping that my voice didn't sound different to her ears. I waited until I could hear her footsteps descending the stairs before I tentatively stepped out into the hallway. Luckily, the bathroom door was the only one in the hall that was open, so I didn't have to play an impromptu game of The Price Is Right to find the toilet.

Stepping inside the bathroom, I finally got a good look at this new body in the mirror. _"Why, I'm starting to sound like Captain Ginyu."_ I chuckled.

My body was in decent shape, thankfully. I remembered being distinctly overweight at 15, as it was the year before I started lifting and playing varsity football at my high school. This kid was a little on the thin side, but that would rectified soon enough. I only hope Duel Academy has a decent gym. I was shorter than I would like to be, only coming in at five foot seven. Nothing can be done about that, though. My hair was a pleasant brown shade, with a certain messiness to it which I liked. I never enjoyed styling hair. My skin was tan and my eyes were a piercing, bright green.

"Man, this is going great so far. Then again, I suppose nothing has really happened yet. Man, I should really look into what books have or haven't been written yet. If I can get that Harry Potter money, then I will." I thought aloud as I quickly showered. There was distinct fire in my belly, a drive to go out and do things as if I were running out of time. It was a feeling I hoped wouldn't go away soon.

Despite this being my second go round at life, everything seemed so new and wondrous. The hot shower water felt incredibly good on my skin, the sunshine from the window seeming so fresh and clean. At the same time, mind was in complete disarray, desperate to find something familiar to cling to. To keep myself from going insane, I focused only on the present moment, at the current sensations I was feeling. As I settled down, I felt more comfortable diverting my thoughts towards the future.

I was going to Duel Academy. Basically, all I had to do to secure myself a decent career in this crazy world was to play a children's card game well. I was going to meet characters I had once thought as being strictly fictional. There really was a sense of childish amazement at the prospects laid bare before me. As I toweled myself off, I felt a wild grin creep its way on my face, and I felt my panic and worry melt away, replaced by an infectious confidence.

After throwing on a light blue hoodie and some grey sweatpants, I leapt down the stairs, briefly taking in the details of the house as I did so. It seemed to be a comfortable middle-class dwelling, and once again I reflected on how lucky I was. It was only by the whim of whatever force sent me here that I wasn't dealing drugs in the streets or worse, locked up in jail. Perhaps there was a reason for all this, but I hardly cared to think about who or what brought me here. Whatever brought me here did not see fit to tell me the "why", much less the "how". But that's life, isn't it? We are never told why we are created, what our purpose is for being. We create that reason ourselves. We form bonds with others, and protecting those bonds becomes a purpose for some. Others fight ultimately pointless battles in the name of their religion or political ideology. The humblest, as well as the most proud, choose to master a craft or skill. Creating is what brings them contentment. But many stay adrift and never ascertain a reason for being. They exist, work for the benefit of greater people, and die. Such a fate should be intolerable, and yet many settled for it all the same. I would create my own reason for being here, if I must.

Bounding into the kitchen, I got my first good look at my "parents". No matter what happened, I would never hold as much affection for these people as I would my original parents, but that's not their fault.

"Hi, you guys." I waved casually. My father smiled back at me, clapping a hand on my shoulder. He had the frame of a former athlete gone to seed- huge powerful muscles wrapped under copious layers of fat. He had salt-and-pepper hair and beard, with tasteful glasses framing crinkled gray eyes. He wore a three-piece suit, clearly about to head to work.

"Jamie! Good to see you fresh-faced, my boy!" He exclaimed boisterously. "Make me proud today at your examination. I've always dreamed of seeing my only son dueling in Obelisk Blue, and I'm sure you have as well."

"No doubt." I answered smoothly. From that short exchange, I could roughly discern the relationship here; he had high expectations of his son while also internally pining for his own glory days.

Nodding at him, I turned over to look upon my "mother", who was currently cooking an omelet in a skillet. I was about to greet her, but I found my words stuck in my throat as she looked up.

I found myself in a bit of a Marty McFly situation, to say the least. She was an attractive lady, with a heart-shaped face, a slim frame, and the same green eyes and straight brown hair I had. Luckily, such a thing was only a brief distraction. I had no intention on making anything weird.

"Morning, honey! Are you ready for your big day?!" She cooed, a slight contrast from her demanding tone earlier.

"Honestly, don't talk to the boy like that, he's nearly a man, about to set off on his first great adventure in life!" My not-father intervened rather entertainingly on my behalf. From there, the two spouses launched into some trivial discussion, which I hardly paid attention to.

I had no interest in establishing any real relationship with them yet. That would have to happen over the winter break, if not the summer break. For today, I could coast off of Jamie's previous interactions with his parents, most of which seemed to be positive.

My excitement was such that I could barely manage to eat the delicious breakfast my strangely attractive "mom" placed in front of me. I still couldn't get over how unreal all of this was.

I looked across the kitchen to the connected living room, taking in the various pictures and decorations that adorned the walls. I seemed to be an only child. My parents spoiled me with vacations as a kid, judging by the numerous fishing trips and summer camp photos on the walls.

Underneath the pictures was a golden banner with the words "Lancaster Family" inscribed upon it.

 _"Jamie Lancaster. You've gotta be fucking kidding me. George R.R Martin's gonna pull a copyright strike."_ I nearly laughed before remembering that I had company.

Soon enough, it was time to leave. My "father" drove off to the office while my "mother" escorted me to the arena in which the placement exams would happen. As we drove, I saw the Kaiba Corp building in the distance. I could only imagine what it would be like meeting Yugi, Kaiba, and all the other members of the original generation of duelists. The crazy thing was that meeting them was no longer strictly the object of childish conjecture.

My "mother" gave me a teary goodbye, hugging me close as she did so. I did my best to be genuine- I didn't want her to think I didn't care, even though I really couldn't. I didn't wish to hurry her out, but there was so much to do and see. If I was going to be successful at Duel Academy, I needed to get to work the moment I stepped through the door.

"Goodbye, son. Write lots, call whenever you can, ok?" She pleaded, looking me in the eye.

"Of course, mother. And thank you, for everything. I'll do my best to make you proud." The words were a tribute to my old parents, my real parents. They were meant for all of my friends, family, and even the enemies from previous life, because in that moment, I knew I would never see any of them again. They lived on only in the ways they influenced me. And for what it was worth, I dedicated those words to this woman in front of me, even though all she has ever truly done for me is cook a good breakfast. I felt sorry for her, for the son she raised is gone. I am his replacement.

It was at that moment where I understood the blessing and the curse of the self-insert. Like a great many things in life, it was funny and sad in equal measure. Yes, I was living life over again, with a sense of wisdom and freedom only brought on by experience. And yet, the crushing weight of loneliness made its presence felt upon my heart, this familiar yet foreign heart. It was good that I had little time to fulminate- I would doubtlessly think myself into a frenzy.

And so, the emotion that choked my voice as I said goodbye to my "mother" was very real. She drove off, as bubbly as ever, and I watched her leave, standing still in the shadow of the arena. After a long glance towards the clear blue sky, I turned about-face and entered the arena where I would take the Duel Academy placement test.

As I entered the atrium, I saw a small wooden table manned by two rather cute academy schoolgirls. "Hey! Do I have to register with you guys, or…?" I questioned them rather lamely.

With bored, haughty expressions on their faces, they looked upon me. I met their gazes evenly, not at all intimidated by them. After a moment, one of them replied, "Yeah, just check off where your name is. Also, we'll have to check your deck to ensure its compliance with the banlist."

"Sure thing." I was familiar with such a procedure on the few times I attended tournaments in my past life. I only hoped I wouldn't have to take much out- I only brought 45 cards.

They flipped through my deck rather roughly, which I didn't appreciate. "Nice try, pal, but Graceful Charity is banned. You can't actually be serious, coming at us with that bullshit." One of them mocked me.

"I have no idea what you mean. Graceful Charity is a fair and balanced card." I said. The two girls and I were silent for a moment before I laughed and they giggled politely.

"But really, you need to get this out of your deck. And you're lucky that Black Luster Soldier hasn't been hit yet. That card's ridiculously strong." One of the girls wryly commented. I chuckle genuinely at that- oh, if only they knew of the power creep this game would be undergoing in the next twelve years. The sheer consistency most decks would possess in the future would make Black Luster Soldier merely a decent card, and yet in this time period he was considered one of the best monsters in the game.

A fact to take advantage of later, no doubt. I was lucky that Jamie had a copy of the card in his binder. After a somewhat sardonic goodbye to the desk clerks, they handed me a piece of paper with a number on it I stepped onto the stadium's main floor.

Immediately, I was shocked at just how large it was. I didn't remember the place being this gigantic in the first episode of GX. Something told me that the surprises weren't going to be ending anytime soon. There were dozens of smaller areas partitioned for duel exams on the floor while hundreds of applicants flooded the stands.

My eyes darted all around the room, searching for Jaden Yuki. I had to see what the guy was like in person. Then I remembered that he arrived to this exam late, and his was the last duel to occur. Calming down somewhat, I looked for the people who eventually become some of Jaden's most stalwart companions; Bastion Misawa and Syrus Truesdale. That part wasn't hard- Syrus' shocking blue hair was easy to spot amongst the crowd, even as the shy boy tried to appear small.

Seeing these anime characters in "reality" was quite strange, for they looked almost exactly how I perceived in animated form. Has my perception changed to fit this new reality? How strange. Syrus looked as spineless as I recalled him being at the start of the series- his posture was hunched and defensive, his eyes flitting this way and that nervously, and his frame was frail.

Bastion Misawa calmly sat next to him. Compared to Syrus, he gave off a palpable sense of- not _confidence_ , per se. More like mathematical certainty. No, Bastion did not consider himself the sort who would enter a battle without absolute guarantee of victory. Although the series did not portray Bastion as much of a threat, I knew that he had the ability to be one of the most dangerous men in the dueling world. If I ever dueled him, I would have to be deliberately unpredictable.

"Sup." I greeted them casually with a crooked grin. "Have you guys dueled yet?"

"Not yet, I'm afraid." Bastion replied with a level of boredom. "Yeah, unfortunately." Said Syrus.

"Unfortunately? Did you lose?" I asked.

"Yeah, but it was close! Besides, I did decent on the written exam. They're putting me in Slifer Red. Oh, and by the way, I'm Syrus Truesdale." He squeaked rapidly. It dawned on me that I've probably already taken the written exam, which is to say that Jamie did before my consciousness seemingly supplanted his. I only hoped the kid did decently.

"Well, I would consider that a success. There's nowhere else to go but up from here, right?" I nudged him in what I thought was a friendly manner.

"Yeah, maybe, I guess. I don't think I have what it takes to get promoted." He whimpered in response. I knew that this was untrue, but I was in no mood to give this kid a pep talk, especially since he was determined to drag himself down and possibly drag me with him. I had no problem letting Jaden handle this particular issue.

"If that's what you believe." I said dispassionately. He stared at me in shock while I looked over at Bastion. "How about you, man? Did the written exam go alright for you?"

"Oh, more than alright. I do believe I got the best score in this year's freshman class." He replied in that British accent which sounded _so_ fake but supposedly wasn't.

"Oh, no way! You wouldn't happen to be Bastion Misawa, would you? I hear you're really good!" I decided to indulge in a little flattery.

"Why thank you." He responded dryly. "What is your name?"

I nearly told him my original name, catching myself at the last second. "I'm Jamie Lancaster, nice to meet you!" I thrust out my hand, which he took swiftly. He had a firm grip, which I reciprocated.

"Applicant Bastion Misawa may now report to floor A3 for his practical exam." A voice intoned over the PA System. Bastion calmly rose to his feet while fastening his duel disk to his arm. There's no way he could've possibly prepared for whatever deck his proctor was running, so I wondered what kind of deck he was playing.

"Best of luck." I smiled at him. "Same to you." He replied stoically as he made his way down the stairs. I was interested in seeing if there would be any differences from canon in this instance.

However, it appeared I would have no time to watch Bastion's match, for my name was the next one called. I was called down to floor A4, the one right next to Bastion. The duel grounds were partitioned by blue hanging curtain, so I couldn't see any of the matches going on around me.

My proctor entered the arena a moment before I did. He was a tall, muscular man with long black hair tied back into a man bun, of all things, along with a mustache and goatee. He wore the standard navy blue coat all proctors did, but his Chelsea boots and expensive watch gave him a bit of a hipster vibe.

"Jamie Lancaster, huh? I remember you did decently on the written exam. If you do well enough in this practical, you're definitely looking at a nice spot in Ra Yellow. I am assistant professor in history at Duel Academy, Vector Drummond and duel proctor for this exam." He said in a pleasant accent that I could only vaguely discern as Northern European. I did not recognize this guy at all. Then again, it makes some sense that a history teacher wouldn't receive too much screen time in a show primarily absent of most academic disciplines.

"Alright, professor, what kind of deck do you play?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"I'm not using my true deck for the purpose of this test. Rather, I'm using a standard deck all proctors duel with. Standard procedure and all that." He mumbled, sounding a bit tired.

"I imagine using such a basic deck must be very boring for you. I only hope I can provide a decent challenge. If I win, do I get a spot in Obelisk Blue?" I smirked.

He gave a chuckle. "If every cocky kid who walked in here got a spot in Obelisk Blue, the dorms would be overflowing. We'll see after you duel me."

"Sounds like a plan!" I drew my first five cards quickly, that wild grin reappearing on my face. **(Jamie 4000/Vector 4000)**

"I'll set one monster in face-down defense position. Then, I'll set another card and end my turn." I quickly slapped the cards upon the duel disk, eager to lay eyes on holographic monsters for the very first time.

"My draw." Professor Drummond lazily snapped his first card off of his deck. "I'll summon **Axe Dragonute (2000/1200)** in attack mode." A black-scaled dragon replete in steel plate and holding a shining silver axe in its talons.

"Now, I'll attack your face-down monster!" The dark dragon raised its axe in an overhead swipe before bringing it down upon my defensive creature. Unfortunately for the professor, the monster he attacked was **Spirit Reaper (300/200),** a purple-cloaked zombie that cannot be destroyed by battle. My wraith blocked the axe with a scythe, throwing the Axe Dragonute back onto Vector's field.

"Oh no, you're one of _those_ kids." The professor said with a groan.

"And what exactly does that mean?" I asked sardonically.

"Listen, kid, there are two types of people in this world- the kind who play stall decks, and the kind who don't. There's the aggressive kids who have something to prove, and the defensive players who think they're clever, if you catch my drift." He laughed.

"Oh, so you don't like me playing Spirit Reaper? In that case, you're gonna love what I've got in store! Now then, I believe your dragon goes to defense mode after it attacks." I pointed out as he dragon bent the knee.

"I'll set two cards and end my turn." The professor said with a flourish. He looks like he's seen it all. Not to toot my own horn, but I think I'm a bit outside the scope of his experience.

"Then it's my go. I'll begin by sacrificing Spirit Reaper for **Airknight Parshath (1900/1400)**." My reaper vanished from the field in a pillar of light. From the blinding tower galloped a holy centaur, its bottom half a white horse and its top half a pale, elven warrior with a silver sword.

Now, it's time to launch an attack! Airknight, attack his dragon now!" I have to admit, it was rather exhilarating to shout out my moves, especially since I usually just played this game online in my original life.

Both the professor and I were well aware of the Airknight's effect, which inflicted piercing damage in battle. The black dragon was promptly skewered, and Drummond flinched as his life point counter dropped **. (Jamie 4000/Vector 3300)**

And since I inflicted battle damage, I'll draw a card." I said as my monster landed back onto my side of the battlefield. The match was going about as well as I figured it would. The proctor's decks were usually depicted in fanfiction as being rather weak, lacking in consistency or a unified archetype. "I end my turn."

"Yes, yes." Professor Drummond said sarcastically, a mocking gleam in his dark, smoky eyes. "I draw and summon **Alexandrite Dragon (2000/0)** in attack mode." Another large dragon spawned at his side, its scales encrusted with jewels of varying value.

"Now, I'll attack your Airknight Parshath!" The dragon's wings flapped mightily as it crossed the field in one fell swoop, ripping apart the angelic warrior in its maw. **(Jamie 3900/Vector 3300)**

 _"He's pulling out these 2000 attack monsters, yet apparently my tactics are dishonorable."_ I thought with a laugh. This guy's opinions did not faze me as they might have done to a wet-behind-the-ears schoolboy. I've spent too much time in my old life being looked down upon for it to have any effect anymore. A show of strength is the only thing that will ever garner any respect.

"I'll set a card face-down and set another monster." I said succinctly.

Vector sighed again, seeming somewhat disappointed. "I play **Luster Dragon (1900/1600)** in attack mode. Then, I'll play **Mystical Space Typhoon** to destroy your face-down card to your left."

I was pleased with his decision as I sent the Mystical Space Typhoon I set as bait for such a play. "I'll chain my other face-down, **Ring of Destruction**!"

The ring of bombs circled around his Alexandrite Dragon before blowing it up in a spectacular explosion that seemed all too real. I cringed as we both took damage equal to the dragon's attack points. I was playing with the pre-errata version of the card as well, so I could've actually defeated him if he was lower on life points.

"Sorry, I just wanted to see something blow up. Please, continue your turn." I grinned, and he seemed to lighten up a little at that. **(Jamie 1900/Vector 1300)**

"A clever move." The stiff history teacher admitted. "But for naught! I still have Luster Dragon to attack your face-down with, and you have no spells or traps set!" His azure dragon let forth a wave of blue flame that crashed over my monster and me. I could only marvel at how real these holograms looked- only to sober when I realized that the fights to come would not feature holographics, but real monsters and true danger.

For now, I could take comfort in the fact that I seemed to be outpacing this proctor. His dragon had struck my face-down **Marshmallon (300/500)** an adorable little demon that can't be destroyed by battle. This, combined with its nasty 1000 points of burn damage inflicted upon flipping, made it one of the most infamous stall cards of the early game.

After the blue flames subsided, I could hear Professor Drummond cursing himself as the Marshmallon "bit" him. **(Jamie 1900/Vector 300)**

He glared at me, my complacency frustrating him. "I'll set one face-down and end my turn." He snapped.

"Is something wrong? You don't seem to be enjoying our game." I commented as I drew my next card.

Up in a balcony overlooking the stadium, two individuals stood, their vantage point allowing to view of all of the duels taking place on the floor. Each of them, a man and a woman, wore the blue and white coats of Obelisk Blue.

"What do you think of this guy facing Drummond? He seems to be putting the pressure on, and cool as you please." A pale, beautiful girl with dishwater-blonde hair and clever hazel eyes lilted.

"Nothing special. His deck is filled with nothing but basic stall and burn staples- he clearly has no personal connection to his cards." Her compatriot said dismissively. His stiff navy blue hair draped down his neck, and his countenance was cool and withdrawn.

"Those staples seem to be serving him well enough." She pointed out, only wishing to play devil's advocate for the sake of annoying her companionship.

"Oh, they're enough to win battles, but he'll never be a true duelist unless he truly respects his cards and finds his own style, instead of copying from the pros. Right now, he just uses them as tools. I'm sure you understand me, Alexis."

"If he keeps winning, then I doubt his attitude will change, Zane." Alexis replied, enjoying the discourse.

"It doesn't matter if his attitude changes. He can go fill the halls of Ra Yellow with the rest of the average and uninspired masses." Zane sneered.

Meanwhile, in the lower seats, Chazz Princeton sat comfortably, having just passed his own entrance exam with flying colors. Surrounded by goons and watching other students struggle against the proctors- truly, this was a fantastic day!

"What do you think of the competition so far, Chazz?" One such goon asked sibilantly.

"Scrubs galore on both sides. These exams aren't good for determining skill, since the proctors are using such trash decks. Some of these kids don't look too bad, but there's no way they could ever stack up against me!" The black-haired Obelisk student boasted.

Down on the arena floor, Drummond shook his head patronizingly at me. "As a matter of fact, I am. You're quite good, despite your decidedly boring playstyle. You certainly give off the same vibe as a pro player. I can tell this isn't your first rodeo, so to speak. Mainly, you're really making me regret my own misplays in this match."

He was very perceptive. "I'll take that as a compliment. I can't rightly judge you until you fight me with your real deck." I responded cockily.

"Don't get too excited; this isn't over yet!" He said with a snarl as I drew. Unfortunately, I didn't have anything that could get over his monster, and he still had some backrow I had to be concerned about. "I'll set a card and end my turn." I said.

"Very well! I draw. First, I'll sacrifice my Luster Dragon for **Luster Dragon #2 (2400/1400)!"** The smaller azure dragon vanished, replaced by a larger beast, emerald green in hue. It's wings stretched from one wall to another, and I could feel a definite trace of intimidation as its eyes, narrowed in hate, bore down on me.

"Next, I'll equip my dragon with the **Fairy Meteor Crush** spell card!" A fiery red aura danced wildly around Drummond's Luster Dragon. _"Shit, this is bad! Even though he can't kill my_ Marshmallon _, the piercing damage will finish me off!"_ I thought frantically. _"Haha, oh wait, I still have a face-down."_

"Now, my dragon, attack his Marshmallon and end this duel! Better luck next year, kid!" Drummond thrust his hand out as his dragon let loose a bright burst of jade-colored energy from its mouth.

"Activate face-down card, **Shrink**! This card halves your monster's attack points until the end of the turn!" The dragon's fireball grew considerable smaller as its attack dropped to 1200. I still took some damage from the attack, but I was still in the game for another turn. **(Jamie 1200/Vector 300)**

"Clever, but that was your last trap. Next turn, it's over." He stated, and I was forced to agree with him. Most of my cards were based around accumulating advantage and stalling out the opponent- in the face of an all-out assault by the opponent, such a strategy was unfeasible. I would need a good draw this turn, or else it was over. To think, I could simply be denied entry into the academy before I would ever the chance to assist Jaden against the various foes he encountered in canon.

Luckily, my next draw was indeed a good one. I could definitely see why the card I had just drawn would be banned later, but for now, I would abuse its power for as long as possible.

"I activate **Scapegoat**! This spell allows me to summon four sheep tokens, each with zero attack and defense points, to my side of the field!" As I spoke, four puffballs of varying color popped onto the battlefield next to Marshmallon.

"And what will that do? Next turn, I'll be able to pierce you through your tokens, since they have no defense points." Vector cleverly questioned.

"There won't be a next turn, I'm afraid! I activate the spell card **Metamorphosis**!" Drummond sharply drew in breath, knowing what was about to come.

"Now, by sacrificing one of my scapegoat tokens, I can specially summon a fusion monster of the same level!" I announced with a bit of dramatic flair.

"Oh, I see…that's a pretty clever move." Alexis grinned. Zane's eyebrows rose, letting out a shrug of acknowledgement.

"I summon **Thousand-Eyes Restrict (0/0)**!" I bellowed, thoroughly enjoying myself. The creature I had called forth was Maximillion Pegasus' ace monster, a truly horrifying monstrosity of crimson hide and sharp steel claws. There was hardly a way to describe the monster, because its shape was so…bizarre. I thought nothing of watching Pegasus play this against Yugi in the TV Show, but now that I was looking upon it with my own eyes…I was more than a little unsettled.

The innumerable eyeballs on its hide opened all at once as its wings unfurled. The creature let out an unearthly keel, and I fought not to shiver in fear, even though it was on my side. I better finish this quickly, before everyone gets too freaked out.

"My monster's effect allows me to equip one of your own monsters to itself, gaining its attack and defense points in the process! Now, my loyal beast, assimilate his dragon's being into your own!" I decided to play up the creepiness factor for what it was worth, despite my own niggling fears.

Shadowy tentacles burst forth from the Thousand-Eyes Restrict and enveloped the professor's Luster Dragon. Although the dragon struggled mightily, it was eventually ripped from the battlefield and into the Thousand-Eyes Restrict's body.

Without any monsters on his field, my victory over the professor was certain. "Attack him directly!" I shouted, finding myself giddily enjoying these theatrics. A black beam of dark energy burst from my monster and knocked over the history teacher. **(Jamie 1200/Vector 0)**

"I'm so sorry you had to suffer defeat by such dishonorable play."

Brushing himself off, Drummond placed his deck back into the box on his belt. With a slight, self-effacing chuckle, he shook his head. "Not dishonorable…just unusual. Duel Academy has its eyes on you, Jamie Lancaster. I'm looking forward to seeing you in my class." Brushing a lock of raven hair out of his eyes, he gave me a two-fingered wave before smoothly exiting the playing field.

I guess that was my cue to leave as well. I diverted my eyes upwards, and I saw two familiar faces. Well, familiar to me I suppose. Kind of makes me sound like a stalker, but whatever. Anyhow, I saw Zane and Alexis coolly examining the fresh recruits, which doubtlessly included myself. Alexis' eyes were alight with curiosity, while Zane seemed unimpressed. Oh well, let them think what they will. I'm not scared of them, ranks be damned.

Deactivating my duel disk, I leisurely made my way back up the stairs towards Syrus and Misawa, both of whom were staring intently at something happening down on the floor.

Of course, it was none other than the illustrious Jaden Yuki delivering his winning move against Crowler, who was much more ugly in person than on the show. Jaden was in the process of completing his winning move, summoning the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman to combat Crowler's Ancient Gear Golem.

Of course, this explained why it seemed like hardly anyone was paying attention to my match; after all, Crowler descending to duel a lowly applicant is certainly unprecedented. And unwarranted, for that matter, considering he has everything to lose and Jaden everything to gain from this fight. Pursuing this petty grudge would do nothing for Crowler but cause himself and everyone around him annoyance. It reminded me unpleasantly of my own experiences in high school and the workforce back in my old life.

I lazily greeted Syrus and Bastion, neither of whom bothered to respond to me as they watched the conclusion of the match. I saw the Flame Wingman be enveloped in fire as it dove from the apex of the skyscraper. In moments, Crowler's golem was melted down back to the ore it was made from, and Jaden was the winner.

"Wow! I can't believe it! Jaden beat Professor Crowler's ace monster and won the duel!" Syrus said in awe. I could practically see the admiration blossoming right in front of me. Misawa was highly impressed as well, although I figured he could've beat Crowler as well, even without prep time.

"Who are those people?" I asked despite knowing the answer.

"The winner is Jaden Yuki, a rather boisterous upstart playing an Elemental Hero deck. The other one is Professor Vellian Crowler, a teacher of high esteem, although that esteem has doubtlessly been damaged by his pitiful showing today." Bastion explained to me.

"If he's such a high-ranking guy, why did he bother handling recruitment? Were they short on proctors?" I asked again.

"No. It seems that this particular examination was a personal matter. For some reason, Crowler has it out for Jaden Yuki. I believe it was because he showed up late."

I audibly scoffed. "Must not be much of a duelist if he got beat by a green boy, or a blue boy, I should say. Jaden should go directly to Obelisk Blue if there's any justice." I replied haughtily.

"I doubt that will happen. Crowler is the head of Obelisk Blue, and is picky about his selections in the best of times. I'd wager that Jaden will be getting familiar with the Slifer Red lodgings soon enough." Bastion sniffed.

"No way! He doesn't deserve that!" Syrus spoke up.

In that moment, I was struck by just how much sway the few professors on the island held over student affairs. If Crowler doesn't like somebody, it doesn't take long for that person to disappear or be banished to the pits of Slifer Red, never to emerge again. The only reason Jaden avoided such a fate was through his strong support network of friends as well as a generous dosage of luck.

Somehow, I doubted I would be so lucky. No, I would have to avoid antagonizing Crowler until my own position in Obelisk Blue was solidified. And make no mistake, I planned to be in Obelisk Blue. Most of the duelists there were arrogant windbags without an ounce of skill, but goddamn were those beds nice and soft! Besides, it would be kinda cool to share rank with Zane, Alexis, and even Chazz.

For now, though, I wanted to meet the soon-to-be famous Jaden Yuki. What would he be like in day-to-day conversation? He definitely seemed like the sort of person that could brighten up the average day.

He walked up from his duel all exuberance and smiles, his ginger-brown hair rustling slightly from a draft wind. "What's up, guys!" He greeted Bastion and Syrus like old friends, clapping them both on the shoulder. Then, his brown eyes darted towards me.

"Hey! I'm Jaden, Jaden Yuki! I'm the guy who just wrecked Crowler down there! We must have been dueling at the same time!"

His excitement was infectious. "I saw that! You did very well for yourself. I only wish I got such a good fight. I'm-I'm Jamie Lancaster, nice to meet you!" I offered a handshake. Jaden's handshake was floppy and weak, but he hardly cared seemed like the sort who would care about being presentable. I shrugged and moved on.

"The 2004 Duel Academy Freshman Duel Academy Examinations have now concluded. Shortly, we will be bussing out to Domino Airport, and from there we shall fly out to the island. Please gather your belongings and wait at the labeled stops outside." A voice I recognized as belonging to the school's Headmaster, Sheppard, boomed over the PA system.

"We'll have to get to know each other sometime soon! I'll see you later man!" Jaden bumped me on the shoulder and hopped off with Syrus and Bastion in tow. I smiled after them and leisurely made my way down the stairs as well.

Shortly thereafter, we bussed across the city, the orange evening sunlight bathing the building tops as we went. From there came a sleepy evening flight from Domino City to a seemingly innocuous island in the southern seas. With only the items I had in my backpack, I stepped off that plane and saw the school building itself for the first time with my own eyes. Surreal doesn't even begin to cover it.

Time to get to work.


	2. A Summer Breeze, a Wind of Change

Chapter 2: A Summer Breeze, a Wind of Change

These bright yellow jackets are really not very flattering. The color was brighter than it seemed in canon- it made us Ra Yellow students look more like air traffic controllers than duelists. All we needed were those glowsticks they used and we could make our way through airport security without issue. Even the red blazers looked better. Oh well, all the reason to get promoted as soon as possible.

This is not to say that I disliked being a Ra Yellow in totality. On the contrary, the place was well-kept, clean, and full of highly sociable and good people. The cafeteria was always stocked with healthy food, and the rooms were comfortable. Four walls, a good mattress, a decent closet, cable, and internet access. To be honest, the place was just like a dorm at any average state college from my homeworld, even down to the fact that some Ra Yellows had roommates. Since Ra Yellow is where around 80% of the school's population resides at any given time, it was always bustling with social activity and events. I greatly enjoyed getting out and about during the first few days of school, meeting my fellow students, getting some digits from girls, and engaging in a few duels along the way.

Unfortunately, my roommate was not nearly so outgoing. "Hey Bastion, there's a party out by the lake tonight. You down?" I asked my roommate as I ditched my Ra Yellow fatigues for a faded white t-shirt and some Chino slacks.

Bastion Misawa looked up from the book he was reading- an astronomy text- and regarded me quizzically. "I don't believe freshman are often let into those parties."

"Well, the girls are." I replied.

"Yes, well, we both know why that is. What I mean is that freshman men tend to have a harder time getting in. How do you propose on attending?" Bastion argued. He loved to debate- he seemed to think of it as an exercise, a way of keeping his mind sharp. He and I both knew there no real underlying skepticism or malice behind his words- it was simply in his nature to be inquisitive.

"We could always duel them, assuming they don't just decide to kick our asses the regular way first."

Bastion scoffed. "I'm afraid that doesn't sound like a good time to me. But still, I hope you have fun. I'll keep the door unlocked for you. Just keep in mind that I have class early tomorrow. Should I inform Miss Fontaine that an injured student will be coming by later?"

I chuckled, "No need. If I send someone there, I'll let her know myself." I bid him goodbye, grabbed a bottle of water, and went out into the hallway. I figured Bastion wouldn't come with. He probably thought himself above partaking in such mindless frivolity, even for a little while. I noticed that when he spoke to me, he seemed to assume I wouldn't understand the topics he was talking about. At times, I noticed he also used needlessly advanced vocabulary and jargon to make himself sound smarter. Still, Bastion was a good guy. There were certainly worse roommates to be had.

I walked leisurely across the island to the Obelisk Blue Girl's Dorm, which was right by the lake. I planned to invest in a bicycle in the future- this place was way too large to efficiently walk across on a daily basis. Good cardio, I guess, although that doesn't explain how Chumley stayed so fat.

I hadn't seen too much of the infamous Slifer Red trio yet, although I imagine that Jaden had already had his nighttime match with Chazz, who at this point was still the coddled Obelisk Blue elite that seemed to base his life around irritating Jaden for some reason. That kid needed a hobby- or a good shagging, but who am I to say? He certainly won't have any luck with Alexis. Me, on the other hand...that might be a different story.

After around a twenty-minute walk, I made it to the party, which was just starting as the sky turned from a soft velvet dark blue to star-spotted black. I saw a decent crowd of around fifty people mulling around the lake shore. Some music was playing, and a grill was cooking some burgers and hot dogs for the people. A few were dueling, but must were either tossing around a volleyball or conversing near the water.

It looked like a fun time, arranged by the "popular kids" of the school. Sure enough, a few goons were standing perimeter, their muscled arms crossed and their scowls tight. Ugh, I always hated interacting with these power-tripping thugs back in my old life, and I doubted that I would enjoy dealing with them here, especially with the body of this scrawny fifteen year old.

"Excuse me fellas, is this an open party?" I ask as casually as possible- being at ease is the quickest way to annoy these guys, since they're always spoiling for a fight.

"Are you in Obelisk Blue?" One of the three bouncers asked with rather tiresome aggression.

"Not yet." I replied, and one of the guys moved into my personal bubble, giving me the standard stare-down. "Are you on the list?" He growled.

"My name's Jamie Lancaster, so…you tell me." I replied, trying to keep my nerves to a minimum. The third guy whipped out the guest list and quickly read through it.

"You're not on there, buddy. Since you're not on the list, you have to bring two girls with you to maintain ratio. Or you could go fuck yourself, either option works for us." The guy with the list said while cracking his knuckles.

Most of the girls I had met so far were rather bookish, and only a few of them were hot, so I doubted I had the ability to maintain ratio, which they seemed very concerned about. I wonder how little self-awareness it took to be concerned with such things. However, I wasn't interested in fucking myself either, so that only left one choice.

"Alright then, how about I duel one of you? If I win, I get to pass. If you win, you get to kick my ass. Sound good?" Hey, this was how Jaden solved all of his problems in the show. Maybe this would work for me!

Their scowls deepened. "Yeah, that sounds good. I just have one question for you…" He stepped even closer, leering down at me all the while, "What's stopping us from kicking your ass right now?" He clapped a meaty hand on my shoulder, and I began feeling a unique cocktail of fear tinged with a shot of despair. I'll definitely be feeling this particular beatdown in the morning.

"Let him go, boys." A voice, as cool and smooth as liquid nitrogen, interjected. Immediately, the goons released me and took exactly three steps back, allowing me a good look at my rescuer.

I didn't recognize her at first because she was not wearing her Obelisk Blue uniform, but rather a periwinkle hoodie with some yoga pants on a dancer's body. Still, her dishwater blonde hair and clever eyes gave her away as Alexis Rhodes, who was apparently the queen of Obelisk Blue despite being a freshman like myself. She really was extraordinarily beautiful. I couldn't believe Jaden passed up on this girl for a hermaphroditic demon with abandonment issues, but to each his own I guess. Frankly, I had no idea how I was going to handle Yubel, but that was something to deal with later. For now, I tried my best not to look like I was about to get wrecked.

"Alexis? Do you know this punk?" One of the thugs asked.

"Don't worry, he's with me. Chill out and get back to your posts." She commanded coldly to the bouncers, all of whom nodded deferentially and left us in short order. We turned to each other at the same time, wearing identical smirks.

"Thanks for bailing me out, but I had those guys handled." I said, attempting to both save face and bring some humor into the situation. She was taller than me, and I had to steel myself in order to maintain my outward calm.

"I'm sure you did, and you beat Seto Kaiba in a duel before you got here, right?" She rolled her eyes.

"Actually, I beat Yugi and Kaiba in a two-on-one. First threesome I've ever come out on top in. Anyhow, what's your name? You must be an upperclassmen to keep such a tight leash on those dogs of yours."

She blinked, seeming somewhat surprised. "I'm surprised, you're the first guy who doesn't know my name. I'm Alexis Rhodes, and I'm a freshman like you, actually."

"How do you know I'm a freshman?" I asked. This whole "asking questions that I already know the answer to" song and dance is getting tiresome, but the prospect of screwing with these characters is too sweet to resist.

"I saw your duel with Professor Drummond in the entrance exams. It was well-played, but not very exciting. Marshmallon's a particularly hated card around here." She said in response.

"That duel was strictly business- I like to have fun and make flashy combos too, but I couldn't afford to spare any advantage when rank is on the line. Marshmallon is a good companion in that sense." I replied.

"I take it you're hoping to get into Obelisk Blue someday." She assumed.

"Hey, what can I say? I enjoy the finer things in life. Sumptuous food, soft sheets, beautiful women…not to mention the best duelists, of course. I hear there's even brass towel racks in some of the rooms. Ra Yellow has its charms, but it is too…average. I have no interest in being average. But enough about me, you must be really good to get into Obelisk Blue as a freshman." I smirked again.

"Well, a good prep school helps, not to mention that my proctor was a complete joke of a fighter. It's been a while since I've seen a good duel." And the challenging glint in her eye told a story all its own.

"In that case, we should have a match. I have no doubt that I could give you a good duel. It's the least I could do to thank you for saving my ass back there." I leaned in closer, and I could tell that I was making some headway by the faint color on her normally pale, porcelain cheeks. For a moment, her gaze was transfixed on me.

Then, her eyes narrowed once more. Taking a step back, she said, "Maybe later…I'm looking for my friends. I have to admit, you're interesting to me. What's your name?"

"Jamie Lancaster, and your friends are over there." I pointed towards the ones I recognized as Mindy and Jasmine, who were standing by a bonfire. Alexis glanced over to them while I whipped out my phone. Quickly opening the contact page, I set up a new slot for her to put her number in. Getting a girl's number doesn't really mean much (girls like Alexis probably have dozens of dating prospects on call at any given time), but it is a necessary thing.

She was surprised that I was being so forward, but she put her number. I sent her a text with my name in it (I nearly typed in my original name in before correcting myself).

"I look forward to our match, Alexis. Have a good night." I said with an enigmatic grin as I walked away to talk to the other denizens of the party. As I walked, I felt someone's eyes on my back. Turning around, I saw someone leaning against a tree talking to two upperclassmen girls. His cobalt blue eyes were boring into me, even as he was taking to his companions. I immediately met his stare in kind.

I wasn't sure what to make of Zane Truesdale's gaze, so I decided not to get overly nervous for it. He seems to be rather interested in me for some reason though, and I doubt I could beat him with my current deck. I don't want to break out the Melodious monsters so soon, but if I want to beat him, I might have to.

Turning away from him, I made some small talk with some other students, ate a little food, and even danced, albeit poorly. I shouldn't have even been here, so I decided to enjoy it as much as possible. The end of the night approached too soon, and I was off to the yellow barracks once more. I hoped I didn't wake up Bastion when I got back.

However, once I got to the dorm, I kept on walking, After a few frustrating minutes untangling the headphones in my pocket, I decided to walk along the island shore while listening to some music. In a strange serendipity, most of the music that was produced in my original world had also been made here, which was really quite nice. It was always a curious disappointment when I found out a song that did exist in my old world didn't exist in this one.

It made wonder about just how different this universe and mine were, besides the obvious focus on dueling in this one. Maybe, just maybe some of my old friends and family were alive here as well. A sobering thought occurred: even if I did find them, there's no way they would be able to recognize me or remember me at all. A crushing weight of loneliness settled in anew. This was perhaps the curse that came with ultimate freedom, this blank slate I now found myself upon. There is nothing left but to paint upon this canvas, lest I myself become nothing.

I had to shake it off. There's no use wishing for what once was or what could never be. I had an opportunity that no else, at least to my knowledge, ever has. I had to use that opportunity to bring about positive change. These were the mantras I repeated in my head on the way back to the dorm, my mood greatly soured.

Bastion was fast asleep, his breathing a calm rise and fall. I quickly stripped and crawled into my bed, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling. Sleep eluded me, but when I finally dreamt, it was of my old life, of the memories made with past friends, lovers, family. At first, it was a series of nightmares, going over in detail the worst days and moments in my old life. Pain and loss and indignities suffered were drudged up from the repressed depths of my subconscious. But then, just when I thought I couldn't stand the pain any more, the darkness faded into light. I relived my life's most wonderful moments all over again with a renewed freshness. It was a greatest hits compilation, the soaring heights that I had managed to achieve with none of the pits and valleys. When it was nearly time to wake up once again, I did so with a greatly relieved heart and a renewed sense of purpose.

I don't know why, but some force beyond my control placed me here. Why exactly my consciousness was needed on this idyllic island paradise, I would never know. It didn't matter either. What did matter was how I was going to take advantage of this new lease on life.

Every game has rules. Some choose to play by rules their parents or society laid out for them- others make their moves based on fleeting whims and wishes. Neither of those were my style. I was intent to play this game by my rules alone.

"Bastion, I'm going to duel Zane Truesdale. Do you have his number by any chance?" I asked my roommate sardonically while we were both brushing our teeth. He twitched in annoyance as my speech caused flecks of toothpaste to land on the bathroom mirror.

"Nice joke. I'm afraid I don't, but tell me if he actually agrees to fight you. I could always use entertainment." He responded in his usually droll way.

"Seeing him defeated would be entertaining, right?" Playing dumb always annoyed Bastion; he always hated the idea that his wit was lost on someone.

"What do you have against him anyways? I'm not even going to mention that beating him in a duel is about as likely as getting struck by lightning three times in a row." He asked.

"Well, he's the best guy here, right?" I respond, screwing the cap on my toothpaste.

"Doubtlessly." Bastion responded succinctly.

"And why is that? Just because he has some good cards? Because he draws what he needs when he needs it? Anyone can be considered a good duelist because of that. Why is he really considered the best?" I ask, suddenly aggressive.

Bastion looked at me strangely. "Because he is a keen and intelligent strategist? Frankly, it's also because his peers have built up an immense reputation around him. He's a mythic figure. He hasn't lost since he first set foot on this island two years ago." He explained in encyclopediac fashion.

I smiled. "I believe you're right. Reputation is everything. Actual power is another matter entirely. Everyone kisses Zane's ass because they're told to. They don't challenge him because they're told to. They call him Kaiser because the elites willfully spread the nickname around campus. I only want to see if he lives up to this ridiculous hype." As I spoke, a fire burned within, and I couldn't contain my excitement. "Doesn't the prospect of taking down the strong excite you, Bastion!?" I grinned wildly. He regarded me with a bit of amusement.

"Fighting to me is simply the application of formula- I do not wish to be influenced by passions. Being clear and calm is imperative to my style of dueling." Bastion explained, and I nodded respectfully.

And how well did that work out for him in the anime? Bastion became a completely irrelevant character after the first season! Hell, the guy spent the last half of the series camped out in a different dimension getting shagged by a crazy tiger lady! I shouldn't be taking his advice if I wanted to be successful in this world. Then again, I couldn't help but think things were going to be different from the anime from now on. The anime of Yu-Gi-Oh GX was governed by show writers and directors- everything served a greater plot. As far as I could tell, this universe was governed by the same rules as my old one- which is to say none in particular. This was the jungle, and I had no intention of being another meal for the apex predators.

In my old world, Bastion would be one of the most formidable duelists of all. He has his game plan mathematically organized, for god's sake! A guy like that is not going to lose often. I fully believed that he would be winning duels in this universe that he would not have won in the anime series. We were no longer following a scripted plot- these games were decided by luck and skill, nothing more. Taking this into account, I chose to heed Bastion's words to some extent. Still, I fully intended on challenging Zane regardless of what Bastion said. I just had to see if I could topple him, otherwise the hunger in me would never be satisfied. It wasn't anything against the guy personally.

"How are you going to challenge him? Zane only talks to those in his inner social circle. You'll have to get through them to get to him." Bastion pointed out.

"That's ok, I'll just talk to Alexis about it." I said with a grin. Bastion's eyes widened.

"You know Alexis Rhodes? How? Did you meet her at a party?" He now looked like he was regretting his decision not to join me that night.

"I did, got her number too. Unfortunately, she doesn't seem too interested in me, but I have a feeling that's going to change soon."

"Then I wish you luck. Tell when you're going to challenge the Kaiser. I could always use an opportunity to study a duel between two powerful fighters. Besides, seeing that arrogant smirk wiped off your face could provide some amusement." Bastion said in his snarky manner. Honestly, I could imagine why some would tire of him quickly. But I knew that underneath it all was a fundamentally good person who didn't deserve the treatment he got in the series. If I had it my way, he wouldn't be spending the rest of his life camped out in an alternate dimension.

So often, good people never get the credit they deserve. I had the power to see that acknowledgement given. At last, I was beginning to see the appeal of the self-insert.

"I will. And thank you for wishing me luck. I know this seems crazy to you, but it's something I have to do." I say with conviction.

Bastion Misawa nods and looks away. "I understand. Everyone has something like that, something that they have to do. It's patently illogical, of course, but so is life."

 **Alexis Rhodes POV**

 _"Hey could you give me Zane Truesdale's number"_ Alexis Rhodes read the text, sent during class at 11:05 AM. Discreetly under her desk, her phone laid atop her right thigh.

Her hazel eyes darted to the upper right corner of the room, where the sender sat with a bored, yet amused, expression on his face. Jamie Lancaster was forgoing discretion altogether, his phone on his desk next to a blank notebook. At the bottom of the lecture hall, Crowler lectured on the key differences between field spells and continuous spells.

 _"He always seems amused about something."_ She thought with a raised eyebrow. She fought down a yawn- she hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep last night. Of course, a late-night match with the boisterous Jaden Yuki might have something to do with that. She couldn't officially say. Jaden was sleeping right at the front of the class right now, a display that Crowler attempted to ignore with obvious annoyance. Perhaps Jaden had the better idea.

Jaden and Jamie- two interesting freshman boys in their own ways. Jaden, well, she could read him like an open book. He wore his heart on his sleeve. His highly expressive face was always smiling, and it was clear the Slifer Red enjoyed little more in life than food, friends, and fighting. His exuberance was infectious, and he was rather cute too, although she would never tell anyone else of such a thought.

Jamie…he was a different beast altogether. From the way he acted at the party, it was clear that he was interested in more than friendship with her. _"Just like every other boy in this academy…"_ she thought bitterly. And yet there was something fascinating about him as well. Unlike Jaden, he was aloof- she often saw him taking walks and eating alone, his only company those headphones of his. He was witty, but oddly polite as well, with a smile that cut like a knife. He seemingly walked around with an easy spirit, unbothered by what was occurring around him. And yet, those sea-green eyes of his told the truth; there was wisdom there, and a fair amount of weariness as well. What hid behind those eyes? She had never seen him duel, but as a Ra Yellow, surely he couldn't be that good, could he?

Then again, Jaden is a Slifer, and she lost to him. She would not make the same mistake with Jamie, if she decided to duel him in the future. For now though, she tried to process this seemingly random request.

 _"Why do you want it?"_ She quickly texted back.

 _"Idk I was just wondering if he's single"_ Came the quick reply.

 _"You want to duel him. Why."_ She asked, cutting straight through his attempt at humor. As she typed, she kept her eyes trained on Crowler to avert any suspicion.

 _"Too good a challenge to ignore, you feel me? I wanna see how good he is"_ She was surprised that his reason was so simple. Zane didn't receive too many challengers because of his feared reputation, but it seemed that Jamie was the only one of the new freshman so far who wished to test that reputation.

 _"I don't think that's a good enough reason, but I'll put in a word with him"_

 _"Well, that's all I can ask for. By the way, I never repaid you for that night at the party. A cup of coffee ought to suffice, don't you think? We'll talk more at the Blue-Eyes Café at four."_

Bold, this one. Bolder than most, at any rate. In truth, Jamie wasn't bad to look at either. But she felt an inescapable gravitation towards Jaden…he was like a typhoon that caught up everything in its path. Still, she would gladly let Jamie repay his debt. She would be getting out of class right at four too.

 _"See you there"_ she quickly replied before putting away her phone. Jamie Lancaster…what was his aim?

 **Jamie Lancaster (My) POV**

At 3:45, I went to Blue-Eyes Café, the big coffee house on campus. It was a good-looking building, decorated with a blue, white, and chrome color scheme. Everything was well-cleaned and futuristic in design- I always appreciated such quality craftsmanship. On the top of the building, a small statue of Kaiba's famous dragon stood, its maw gaping at all prospective customers.

I laughed when I saw that there was indeed a drink called "Blue-Eyes Mountain". Unfortunately, I was not as rich as Jack Atlas, and did not feel like emptying my coffers on such a brew. Instead, I ordered a small latte.

Alexis arrived at five minutes after four. "You shouldn't text in class, you know." She reprimanded playfully.

"I'll keep that in mind the next time I mix up a field spell and a continuous spell." We both laughed, knowing that Crowler's class was an absolute joke. She ordered her own coffee and we sat down properly at one of the corner tables.

"So what makes you want to duel Zane so badly anyways?"

"He's supposed to be the most powerful duelist on campus. I hear he's annihilated his opponents in a single turn with those Cyber Dragons of his. They call him the Kaiser of Central Duel Academy. Wouldn't anyone be excited to challenge such a man?" I replied with a cheeky swig of my coffee.

"It inspires fear in most rational people. You and Jaden seem to be irrational in this respect." She said with fake exasperation. "You shouldn't be so eager to duel him. You won't want to be publically humiliated so early in the semester."

I scoffed loudly. "Oh please. I'm not scared of him. No one should be. This game is based on luck first and foremost. Having good cards helps, but anyone can draw a brick opening hand. My deck has ways of dealing with him, and I'm sure yours does too. No one is invincible."

She looked highly surprised at this; I take it she asked Jaden the same question with a decidedly different answer. I didn't intend for my words to be so harsh, but that was how they came out. No use regretting them.

"You must really have it out for him." She said accusingly.

"It's not a personal matter. I just want to see how I stack up. Surely you can understand the need to prove oneself." I responded simply.

A slight look of confusion flit across her face. Apparently, she was not familiar with this feeling I was describing. "I suppose I can let him know about you. Just don't get so heated if and when you finally meet him. I like you, but Zane is my friend. I wouldn't appreciate any undue hostility."

I didn't even think about this from her perspective. I supposed part of me still thought of her as a fictional character. "I know. Thank you for doing this for me." I said, my voice decidedly softer.

She briefly smiled at me. "I can understand what you feel. I actually have someone I'd really like to duel as well."

I smiled. "And who would that be?"

"Jaden Yuki. You know, that kid who's always sleeping in Crowler's class?" She prompted.

"Hmm? You'll have to be more specific." I played a bit.

"You're right. He's the one who _beat_ Crowler. The Elemental Hero duelist. Does that ring any bells?"

"As a matter of fact, it does. You're right to keep an eye on him. Since he wears red, many will underestimate him as he climbs the ladder here. I won't make that mistake. You said he was a Hero duelist, right?" I said quickly.

"Yeah. The only one on campus, I think." She replied.

"Heroes are reliant on fusion summoning. In case we ever duel him, we should use cards like Gravity Bind or Level Limit Area B to lock him down." I offered a bit of unsolicited advice- a nasty habit that I had never outgrown.

She chuckled. "Most duelists here fuse in one way or another, including me. I wouldn't be able to use those cards without limiting myself as well."

"In that case, you have two options- you either beat everyone else at their game, or you beat them at yours." I paused for a moment. "Anyways, thank you for passing on my message. If you're ever down for grabbing a cup of coffee, let me know." I rose from a chair and slung my backpack over my shoulder.

She smiled at me before rising as well. "I will. You interest me as well, Jamie Lancaster. I look forward to seeing you duel soon."

"Same to you, Alexis Rhodes."

A full week passed before I heard back from her. In that time, I was sure that Jaden and his merry band already fought Titan in the abandoned dorm. I had no way of knowing when exactly that event took place though, so there was no way I could have affected it. Luckily, Titan, the charlatan that he was, was no threat. Even as a Shadow Rider, I had no doubt that any of the key keepers could have beaten him.

Meanwhile, I finally saw Bastion's famous six decks, one for each attribute. Frankly, I thought his Dark deck was the best among them- my roommate even managed to get a copy of Dark Armed Dragon in there. He should've used that one in canon- imagine Chazz's shock when he finds a dark mirror of his ace monster staring back at him on the battlefield!

His other decks were fascinating as well. His Light deck was a fairly rudimentary, but effective Lightsworn engine. His fire deck was a burn/stall build revolving around the Solar Flare Dragon lock and triple set Backfire. His Water deck reminded me of that one structure deck with A Legendary Ocean and Levia-Dragon Daedalus. The Earth deck was the Magnet Warriors he displayed to no great effect in canon. Finally, his Wind deck was a sort of proto-Harpie build with mass spell and trap removal. Fascinating stuff all around, but I digress. With a start, I heard my phone vibrate in my pocket.

 _"Zane will be meeting you by the Slifer Red dorm at four this afternoon."_ Was all her message consisted of.

I threw on my bright yellow blazer and moved out, wondering why Zane wanted to meet at that stinking tool shed. I didn't bother texting her back, instead going to eat at the dining hall with some friends from Banner's class.

I ended up being five minutes late, finding myself highly irritated at Zane. I loved Zane's story in canon, and I think that he was one of the best-written characters in the series. But in real life dealings, the guy was a typically proud elite, at least at this point in his life. I had to wonder how hungry he was, because I had a full serving of humble pie fresh out of the oven for him.

I saw him there with Alexis, both of them intensely staring out at the sea. To my surprise, Jaden, Syrus, and a portly Slifer I recognized as Chumley Huffington were standing with them. Jaden looked very bored, his hands lazily resting behind his head as he paced around. Syrus and Chumley were stock still, clearly nervous about potentially disturbing Zane and Alexis.

My tread was heavy and loud. I puffed out my shoulders, narrowing my emerald eyes as I did so. I approached them in silence, waiting for Zane to acknowledge me. I waited a long time, but he eventually caved.

"So, this is the one who wishes to challenge me so badly." Zane turned around slowly, his arms tightly crossed. "I must admit, it's been a while since a challenger has pursued me so…aggressively."

"Yes, Zane Truesdale. My name is Jamie Lancaster. I'd like to challenge you to a duel, if you'd be kind enough to agree." I said loudly and forcefully.

"Why on Earth should I do that? I have no need to condescend to your challenge." Zane replied icily.

"Because I'm going to be the next one to rise to Obelisk Blue. Don't you think you should know your peers?" I said with a crooked smirk.

Zane's expression did not change a whit. "I see. Well, you have the arrogance of many an Obelisk Blue, to be sure. But do you have their skill?"

"Of course I do. I never challenge an opponent I don't think I can beat." I said, my hands rapidly clenching and unclenching.

"And why are you so fixated on facing me? No one has ever so fervently sought me out before. Have I offended you in some way?" Zane asked, sounding somewhat curious for the first time.

I shook my head simply. "No. I just want to see how good I am. It's nothing personal at all, I just want to see how I measure compared to you. What do you think?" I asked. Throughout this conversation, I had looked only at Zane, not acknowledging anyone else.

Zane closed his eyes briefly, seemingly attempting to recall a long-forgotten memory. "As a matter of fact, I have a proposition for you. You will show me your skill by dueling these two Slifers right now." Zane pointed at Jaden and Syrus, both of them snapping to attention. "You will be challenging them in a two-on-one match. If you can beat them, then you can fight me. If you lose, then you wait for another day."

What an insult to Jaden and Syrus! The blue-haired boy was openly shaking, and there was a slight disturbance in the Hero duelist's normally relaxed demeanor. Was Jaden possibly angry? I gave him an apologetic look.

"Why should they be dragged into this?" I asked with a tinge of annoyance. Surprisingly, it was Alexis who answered me.

"I'll give you the full story later, but Jaden and Syrus are facing expulsion from the academy. They will be competing in a tag duel this next Saturday against the Paradox Brothers. Facing off against you is meant to be practice for them."

"Expulsion?" I scoffed. Inwardly, I couldn't believe we were already at this point in the GX canon. I needed to keep a closer eye on things in the future. "What could these two have possibly done to merit expulsion?"

"They were caught out after curfew in the abandoned dorm." Zane responded stonily.

I laughed, loud and long. "Oh please, if they expelled students for sneaking out after hours, this school wouldn't have any students left. I take it Crowler's holding a grudge." Jaden and Syrus nodded silently at this.

"This could be fun! I haven't seen you duel yet, so I can't wait to see how strong you are!" Jaden exclaimed exuberantly.

"I feel the same way, Jaden. You shouldn't be in red, man, I can tell you're a lot better than that." I responded in a much more relaxed tone.

"Nah, I like it in Slifer Red. A house by the sea with some good friends as roommates- what else could I ask for?" Jaden said happily. I already admired the simple and pure joy Jaden seemed to get from life. The guy was so happy to be here, I couldn't help but respect him.

"Alright, I can respect that. Now then, let's get started. Are you both ready?" I rubbed my hands excitedly before striding over to the seaside cliff below the Slifer Red barracks.

Jaden and Syrus stood opposite me, the blue-haired craven to my left and the Hero duelist to my right. Our duel disks were ready, and our hands were drawn- it was time for the duel to begin.

Jaden and Syrus would be sharing a life point meter, while I would be holding my own, of course. I stayed at 4000 life points, which somewhat annoyed me at first. Jaden would be taking first turn, followed by me, then Syrus, then me, then Jaden. None of us could attack on the first turn. Jaden and Syrus were allowed to use each other's face-downs and monster effects on the field and graveyard, but were not allowed to look at each other's hands.

"Okay, here we go! I'll start by setting a monster and another card face-down!" Jaden opened up with the classic 'T-Set". 'That's it for me."

"Very well." My manner had turned cold with the beginning of the fight. I could not replicate Jaden's easygoing attitude in the middle of a duel. "I'll T-Set as well." I said blandly, copying Jaden's opening move.

"My turn!" Syrus squeaked. "I'll start by summoning **Patroid (1200/1200** ) in attack mode!" A cartoonish police car with wide eyes beeped around on the field. "And I'll use his special ability to look at one of your set cards! Let's see what that monster is!"

With an annoyed tick, I revealed my reversed monster, **Marshmallon (300/500)**. So much for some easy burn damage. I never imagined that I would find my strategy circumvented by a fucking Patroid, of all things.

"Wait, what does that card do?" Syrus asked Jaden with a nervous chuckle. Yes! Maybe he would attack anyways!

"Don't attack, Syrus. That thing can't be destroyed by battle, and if we attack it, we'll take 1000 points of damage. Better to leave it alone." Jaden jumped in there, his explanation slightly on edge. I sighed before flipping Marshmallon face-down again.

"Okay, Jaden. I'll set a card and end my turn." Syrus finished shakily.

"Back to me then." I drew quickly. Now that I could attack, I had the perfect way to start taking away their resources while doing some damage.

"Jaden, I hear you're quite fond of this card- **Polymerization**!" I said as I activated the iconic spell.

Jaden laughed and nodded. "Let's see what kind of fusion you got, man!" He chuckled.

"I'll fuse the Spirit Reaper and the Nightmare Horse in my hand to fusion summon! From the depths of hell, my emissary rides forth with the devil's tidings! His omens predict death and plague for all! Come forth, **Reaper on the Nightmare (800/600)**!" For dramatic effect, I wrote up my own summoning chant for my deck's only fusion monster. Memorizing it was tedious work, but the shivers fear emanating from Syrus were well worth it.

The sky darkened, and from the bowels of the earth, my creature burst forth. Riding on a hellish horse comprised of blue flame with a purple-cloaked skeleton riding on its back. The demon whipped a silver scythe above its head as it cackled, its laughter a chilling elegy that promised eternal pain.

Syrus looked green in the face, but Jaden was far less impressed, a quiet and confident expression in his chocolate brown eyes. Briefly, I saw flecks of gold in those eyes, caught by the sunlight. Suppressing a shudder, I continued with my move.

"This card can attack you directly, even if you have monsters on the field! Go now, my horseman!" The reaper galloped forth, the horse unleashing an unearthly cry as its rider slashed Jaden and Syrus with its scythe. **(Jamie 4000/Jaden-Syrus 3200)**

"Since I've successfully attacked directly, I can force one of you to discard a card from your hands. Jaden, pitch a card." I was going to concentrate almost all of my efforts upon the Hero user- Syrus was no threat without Jaden holding his hand every step of the way.

Jaden discarded a copy of Mirror Force from his hand, to my relief. "I'll end my turn with that. Show me what you've got!"

"You've got it!" Jaden drew with a flourish. "Come on you guys! I'll buy ya a grilled cheese if you win this!" Chumley shouted from the top of the cliff. I looked at him and smiled before directing my gaze to the Obelisks.

Both of them wore calculating expressions- it was clear that they were evaluating my every move. Better not disappoint.

"I'll summon **Elemental Hero Sparkman (1600/1400)** in attack mode!" A blue and gold-plated warrior, faceless beneath its mask, arrived at the battlefield in a blue flash of lightning. "Next, I'll use Patroid's effect to look at your other face-down card!"

My set card was a **Mystical Space Typhoon** , which I chained to his effect activation. I managed to successfully destroy Jaden's set trap **Mirror Gate**.

"Nice move, but you didn't account for how weak your reaper is! It can't be destroyed, but you're still gonna take some damage from this! Sparkman and Patroid, attack him now!" Jaden called.

I frowned as my reaper took some strong attacks from the red duo's monsters. This level of damage was unsustainable- I was going to have to go on the offensive soon. **(Jamie 2800/Jaden-Syrus 3200)**

"I'll end there. Syrus will be dealing some real damage soon, so watch out!" Jaden said playfully. Syrus nervously nodded again. With my arms crossed, I lazily stared at him for a moment before starting my turn.

"I summon **Blade Knight (1600/1000)** in attack mode!" A noble knight in gleaming silver plate stepped forward unto the battlefield, his broadsword raised.

Jaden looked increasingly uncertain- it was beginning to dawn on him that my deck has no unifying theme to it at all. I'm sure it's more unpredictable than he would have liked.

Since I had two cards in my hand still, Blade Knight's attack points remained unaffected. Luckily, he was still strong enough to take down Syrus' monster. "Fuck the police!" I shouted, trying not to laugh. "My reaper and my knight attack!"

My knight slashed the cop car apart with the greatest of ease. Meanwhile, the demonic horseman struck again, discarding another card from Jaden's hand. **(Jamie 3200/Jaden-Syrus 2000)**

"Ah, I see. He's trying to deplete Jaden's resources exclusively while basically ignoring Syrus. Smart." Alexis commented from atop the rock.

"A deduction anyone could make. You shouldn't shower him with faint praise. That Reaper on the Nightmare is a highly flawed card- it certainly won't work on me." Zane drawled.

"Yeah, cause you'd be able to just attack the reaper for game with those Cyber Dragons of yours. I wonder if Jamie teched that reaper in just for Jaden. After all, he would probably have an inkling about facing him since we invited him to the red dorm." Alexis wondered absentmindedly. I overheard their conversation, and unfortunately, Alexis was placing too much faith in me. I didn't put in this card specifically for Jaden, but just to see how it played.

"I'll end with that." My face was schooled into a strict frown. "I don't know what happened in the abandoned dorm, and I don't care. The fact still remains that you guys are gonna have to polish up your team strategies if you wanna beat the Paradox Brothers." I said, trying not to be harsh.

"We're trying our best, ok? Don't be so mean!" Syrus piped up. Well, fuck me then.

"Look, I'm not trying to be an asshole, but you guys are going to be facing a set of identical twins- these Paradox Brothers have practically been tag dueling partners since the womb. They are going to know what the other is going to do at all times. If you aren't at that level, then you won't be able to beat them. Your decks should be working in perfect synergy, where one of you sets up the dominos for the other to knock down. It's that simple. Now come at me as a team, rather than two individuals!" I encouraged, my voice growing louder and louder as my speech progressed. I don't know why I was bothering with this, really. Jaden and Syrus won their duel against the Paradox Brothers without my help in the show. _But this wasn't the show_ , I reminded myself. At least I hoped it wasn't- I could not abide being guided by an invisible writer's hand for the amusement of anime watchers. For all my knowledge, nothing was certain.

To my surprise, Jaden continued to smile. "He's right, Syrus. Now, I think you know what to do. Let's show him just how good of a team we are!"

Syrus looked over at his roommate and grinned back. "R-right! My turn!" He carefully considered his cards. He and Jaden must have already worked out a team combo. I'm guessing it was UFOroid fighter again- I still can't believe Syrus uses a card like UFOroid to begin with, no wonder the guy didn't win very much.

"Activate **Polymerization**! I'll fuse the UFOroid in my hand with Jaden's Elemental Hero Sparkman to summon a new fusion monster, one that combines each of our powers as duelists! Come forth, **UFOroid Fighter (?/?)!** "

It was a rather plain fusion, all things considered. All that occurred was Sparkman jumping onto a hovering mechanical platform. Still, its attack points were nothing to sneeze at. Since its attack points were the sum total of UFOroid's and Sparkman's, it stood at a beefy 2800.

"Our monster has the combined attack power of its fusion materials, giving it more than enough power to run over your field! Attack his reaper now with Sonic Shockwave!" Both red duelists cried. Azure volts of power charged in both of Sparkman's palms. He brought together his hands before firing off a single bolt of electricity at my reaper. Although my monster would emerge unscathed from the attack, my life points would not. **(Jamie 1200/Jaden-Syrus 2000)**

I huffed, not liking how this was going. I didn't expect them to take my advice to heart so soon. Wiping the corner of my mouth, I stood up straight-backed. "A good tactic- my reaper is an obvious way to inflict damage on me even though you can't get at my life points directly. Smart stuff, boys." I complimented them.

"Yeah, and we still have enough life points to take two more attacks from your reaper, which should be more than enough to launch another attack and finish you off!" Jaden grinned wildly again.

A small smile had worked its way up Zane's lips- or rather, an undoing of the constant scowl he always wore. Alexis was full-on smiling, a bright expression. "They really are starting to learn teamwork. Looks like Jamie might not get his match with you after all. Poor baby…" She cooed mockingly.

"This fight is far from done!" I growled, wondering if my advice was ill-timed. "I draw." Unfortunately, I had no way of doing any damage to them without leaving myself open for a game-ending counterattack. Better to just curl up for now and try to consolidate some resources. I doubted they would be able to get over both the reaper and my face-down Marshmallon, which still had yet to activate its burn effect. I was still sure that I could win, especially if I could draw into Black Luster Soldier.

"I switch Reaper on the Nightmare and my Blade Knight into defense mode. That ends my turn." I grumbled, accepting that my position as it was could not be sustained. "Your monster is powerful, but far from unbeatable. Surely this isn't the trump card you had planned for the Paradox Brothers?"

Alright, now I was just being a dick.

"As a matter of fact, it is. We still have yet to show you its full power, that's all. Once we do, we're sure to win." Jaden said as he drew his next card. "And we still have a way of getting past your defenses as well! Since both you and Syrus have already fused, I think it's only fair I do as well! I'll activate **Polymerization** , fusing the Elemental Hero Clayman set on my field with the Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in my hand to specially summon **Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster (2000/2500)**

Of course, I recognized Jaden's stalwart fusion monster. It was a butch female soldier clad in heavy iron armor. Its right hand was covered with a fully loaded missile cannon while its left hand was adorned with a bright vermillion shield.

"This hero can attack you directly, even while you have monsters on the field and even while it is in defense mode! If I do this though, its attack points are halved. Now, attack him with rampart shell!" Jaden thrust his hand forward as his hero unleashed a full salvo of missiles upon me. A flume of smoke erupted around me, briefly obscuring my body before the sea breeze blew it apart. **(Jamie 200/Jaden-Syrus 2000)**

"Way to play, Jay! One more of those and its over!" Syrus threw a fist in the air, but I wasn't looking at him. I had my peripheral vision trained on the cliff above, where Zane, Alexis, and I suppose Chumley were watching expectantly. They wanted sorely for me to fail, to be humiliated. I was the arrogant upstart who had bitten off more than he could chew. I wasn't ready to play in the big leagues, and now I was going to be taught a lesson for attempting to rise above my station in life. I would lose to Jaden, just as everyone else did, then I would take my seat on the sidelines where I belonged.

I would show them.

"Draw." I growled, a sudden anger threatening to overtake me. I badly wanted to take out my anger on these two happy, unwitting Slifer Red students, but the last thread of control I had held firm.

"I sacrifice Blade Knight to summon **Beast of Talwar (2450/1950)**!" I don't have a copy of Summoned Skull (a card that went from one of the best in the game at one point to basically an artifact fixture in Red-Eyes decks in 2016) so I had to make do with this thing. A green-skinned muscular demon with twin silver scimitars, sharpened and clean, descended to the field with a shriek. However, he was not the culmination of my combo.

"Now, I finally have a light and a dark monster in grave, and you know what that means, boys! I banish Spirit Reaper and Blade Knight to special summon the greatest creature to ever walk upon Ra's green Earth!" I nearly laughed at my made-up summoning chant, and god I just wanted to duel Zane at this point. Time to finish this up.

"No way, he has that card! He must be loaded to have one of those!" Alexis gaped while Zane's eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

"Come forth, **Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning (3000/2500)**!" In glorious gold and blue plate came the knight himself, surrounded in a halo of orange light. Oh baby, just looking at him gave me a semi. I swear I could hear a slow, dramatic pan flute playing as the soldier walked slowly onto the field.

I broke into a wild grin. "Sorry, lads. You put up an amazing fight. You're more than ready to team up on Saturday against the Paradox Brothers. I assure you, they won't have anything as strong as this."

Jaden and Syrus were agape at seeing the legendary monster on display right in front of them. "How on earth did you get your hands on one of those? That card is nearly as rare as a Blue-Eyes!" Syrus yelled in fear.

Wait, really? If that was indeed true, and there were less than ten copies of Black Luster Soldier in this universe, how did the random kid whose body I am currently inhabiting come to be in the possession of one? I would have to do some research later if I could once semester break rolled around. For now, it was time to move on with this farce and get to Zane.

"This card is not so rare, if you know where to look." I bluffed. "But never mind that, it's time to see what your defenses are made of! Black Luster Soldier, attack the Rampart Blaster with chaos slash!"

The twilight knight rushed forward in a streak of dusky orange, slicing Jaden's fused hero apart. The sword sliced through the armor as if there was nothing there at all. Jaden looked thunderstruck, his avenue for victory circumvented. Syrus looked fearfully at his UFOroid Fighter.

"As you know, when my soldier destroys a monster by battle, it can attack once more! Go forth and strike down his UFOroid Fighter!" With a diagonal swipe, the airborne UFOroid Figther was downed by the Black Luster Soldier, who swiftly made his way back onto my side of the field. **(Jamie 200/Jaden-Syrus 1800)**

"Haha, shoot…looks like we lost this one, Sy." Jaden said with good humor. It definitely takes a lot to rattle that guy. I had to admit, I was impressed. I don't remember being such a gracious loser at age 15. Hell, I don't remember being such a gracious loser at any point in my life.

"No…we were so close! We need to be do better than this, or else, we're going to get kicked out of here!" Syrus grimaced, closing his eyes in shame. Man, that kid really needed to grow a spine. Then again, whose fault was it that Syrus had such a crippling lack of self-esteem in the first place? My urge to defeat Zane only grew at this realization.

"Beast of Talwar, attack Syrus directly." _And bring this duel to its merciful end while you're at it._ The green and black demon lunged forward with its twin swords, cleaving at Syrus and knocking the kid over. **(Jamie 200/Jaden-Syrus 0)**

Deactivating my duel disk, I walked over to help Syrus up and to give respects to Jaden for a well-played game. He really is one to watch out for. I played competitively in my old life, and I wrongfully assumed that the duelists here would be easy pickings because of the comparatively limited card pool. When I was bound by the same rules, though, it was a different story.

"Man, that was tight! Good game. You might even be able to beat Zane! I tried facing him, and I got pretty far. Those Cyber Dragons were just too much in the end though." Jaden said companionably.

"I'll keep that in mind, man. Thanks for the good duel. You and Syrus will do just fine on Saturday, believe me. Now, let's see just how good this Zane guy is." I said in equally friendly fashion, chuckling a little at the end. I should hang out with Jaden more often, the guy's positivity was contagious.

"You should laugh while you can…" Syrus muttered from one knee, slowly rising to full height. "Zane's gonna wipe the floor with you, you know. No one has beaten him since he first stepped foot on this island three years ago."

"A fact everyone loves reminding me of. You must really love your brother, to be supporting him so. But let me face him firsthand before you judge my dueling skill. I'm sure it will be a valuable learning experience for us all." I responded with cold politeness, despite wanting nothing more than to verbally rip this kid apart. I knew Syrus was a bit irritating in the show's beginning, but damn, this was getting extremely grating!

After a brief, yet mighty struggle, I ignored him and turned my attention upon Zane. That thrill rose inside me again, that spike of excitement that I only ever felt when confronted with a real fight. It was the same way in my old life as well. Oh, if only I could take this guy down with the Melodious Diva deck that currently resided in my belt pocket. I could only imagine the look on his face when his precious Cyber End Dragon was destroyed by a fucking Bloom Diva of all things.

For now though, this would be a test of how well I could handle myself using this more primitive deck. I fully expected to win as long as I could get some monster removal in my hand on the first turn. One way or another, this duel would be a short one.

"Come on, then." Zane said before turning about-face, stiffly walking away and expecting me to follow.

I followed without delay.

A/N

I should have mentioned it last chapter, but naming my OC after an ASOIAF character was inspired by Umodin's excellent Pokemon SI fic Y'Know Nothing, Jon Snow. If you guys are into Pokemon I recommend the fic highly.

We're moving through the early episodes pretty quickly. I figure you all know the story, no need to go over the elements of the plot that are unaffected by Jamie's presence. Jaden and Syrus still went to the abandoned dorm, and will still be dueling the Paradox brothers. The events in this chapter take place between episode 8 and 9 of the anime. Also, the chapters will probably not be this long in the future, but they will be decently beefy- most likely between 5k-8k words. Hope that isn't a problem for any readers.

Next chapter will detail the duel between Jamie and Zane, among other things. Can't wait to see you there!


	3. The Crown (It's So Close I Can Taste It)

Chapter 3: The Crown (So Close I Can Taste It)

With a grim countenance, I swiftly walked up the path from the bay to the top of the cliff. I took care not to run, as it would have compromised my calm demeanor. Still, I had to walk quickly to keep up with Zane. Jaden, Syrus and Chumley hustled behind me, and I waited for them to catch up before continuing on myself.

Alexis was walking between Zane and my group, seemingly indecisive about whom to walk with. "Alexis." I said stonily to her, leaving no room for interpretation. She paused and waited for me to fall into step with her.

"You did well in that duel. Even I haven't defeated Jaden yet, and you did it with Syrus helping him. You might actually beat Zane if you keep this up." She whispered that last part- I got the distinct impression she was afraid of losing favor with Zane.

I looked at her unwaveringly in the eye before responding. "Thanks, I appreciate that. I'd still like to duel you sometime, you know. That is, unless you make me fill out an eight-step application process like this guy."

She laughed genuinely, tinkling music to my ears. Her hand brushed my shoulder momentarily. "No, you don't have to worry about that." She seemed interested, but I couldn't help but notice how often her gaze fixed on Jaden. Shrugging it off, I continued to follow Zane. He was taking us far, all the way up to the peak of the island's volcano. A tiring waste of time to be sure, but I couldn't deny the dramatic effect it had.

"A bit of a walk, huh? Not saying I don't like the cardio, but still…" I piped up flippantly.

"Quiet." Zane replied coldly. "You said you wanted to duel me. So far, you've put up with everything I've asked of you. It's only fair that I finally indulge your ridiculous request. I hoped that Jaden would be able to humble you, but I see that's a job I'll have to undertake personally. Now prepare yourself."

 _"And I'm sure your schedule is normally oh-so busy. That's why you spend all day brooding by a fucking lighthouse."_ I thought derisively. "I appreciate this, I really do. Let's have a good duel." I said, doubting he would appreciate any snark from me. His expression slightly softened.

"You may begin whenever you're ready." The Kaiser said cordially. "Actually, I was thinking we'd play a game of rock-paper-scissors to decide who goes first, as the rules of this game dictate." I walked over to the Obelisk upperclassman and stuck out my hands, a closed fist over an open palm.

Taken somewhat aback, Zane frowned before acquiescing. "On shoot. Rock-paper-scissors, shoot!" I called out, throwing out an extended fist while Zane simultaneously laid out an open palm.

"Ah, poor predictable rock. It seems I will be deciding who will go first. Now as I said, start whenever you're ready." Zane said smugly.

"Damn, rock usually works…" I grumbled as I made my way over to my side of the clearing. "It was a good try, man!" Jaden offered supportively. Alexis barely managed to obscure her laughter with a cough.

"Ok then, I'll set two cards face-down and end my turn." I said as quickly possible. I set some basic traps, a Ring of Destruction and a Draining Shield. I teched Draining Shield into my deck during the walk up to the volcano- a last minute meta call. I had the feeling I would need every life point I could get my hands on.

Zane chuckled, a surprising thing, before beginning the duel properly. "I'll also set two cards and end my turn." He said, as placid and calm as ever.

"Alright." I responded in kind, schooling my features into a poor facsimile of his effortless calm. "I'll draw…and pass." I declared lamely. After a minute, Zane drew and passed once again. The tense quiet that fell over the battlefield threatened to burst at this ridiculous excuse for a duel.

 _"I'm only going to have one shot at this…the one-turn kill. If he won't attack…or can't attack, I should be able to draw what I need."_ I thought frantically, my own anticipation level rising steadily as this stalemate wore on. Jaden was already looking bored, the poor kid. Somebody get him some Adderall…and maybe hook me up while you're at it.

"I activate **Foolish Burial** , allowing me to send a monster from my deck to the graveyard." I sent a copy of Don Zaloog, certain that I wouldn't need him in the duel. The fact that he was dark-attribute would also help me summon Black Luster Soldier when I drew the fucking thing. "I'll end my turn after that."

"There you go! He actually played a card, you guys!" Jaden cheered, pumping his fist skyward. Syrus and Alexis remained silent, tense with expectation.

"It's probably set-up for summoning Black Luster Soldier." Bastion's analytical, calm voice was a huge shock to Jaden, who didn't see him approach. Syrus let out a bit of a squak upon Bastion's surprising appearance.

"When did you get here?" Jaden asked after recovering from his momentary shock.

"Just now. What am I, some sort of ninja?" Misawa commented wryly. "No, I merely wished to see just how my roommate would fare against the great Kaiser. Since he's managed longer than three turns, I'm already pleasantly surprised."

"You're Jamie's roommate?" Alexis interjected. "Sorry, I don't think I've met you yet. I'm Alexis Rhodes." She extended her hand in greeting.

Bastion quickly shook her hand in response, a bit overeager. "I'm Bastion Misawa, Jamie's minder. How did the Queen of Obelisk Blue end up hanging around with this motley crew anyhow?" He asked dryly- he decided not to mention hat he had already met her before at Jaden's public duel with Chazz. In fact, they had quite a lengthy conversation. Grimacing, he kept a stiff upper lip and carried on like a good boy.

She rolled her eyes. "Believe it or not, I think the best duelists in this school are all here, standing on this very volcano. Jamie knows about Zane's strategy, and he's doing his best to play around it. Who knows if it'll be enough?"

"Oh? You wouldn't include Chazz Princeton in that list then?" Bastion, who always had an eye towards status and rank, took quick notice of her omission.

"Chazz is a good duelist, but his star has been falling ever since he took that rather humiliating loss to Jaden, with a deck full of rare cards no less." Alexis shrugged. "I think that he's on thin ice with Crowler as well."

Bastion nodded. "I see. His star is falling then…" _"A new position in Obelisk Blue may be opening soon, and I have no doubt that Jamie's going to have his eye on it. Hmm…he might find himself with some competition…"_ He thought with uncharacteristic cunning.

Meanwhile, the seventh turn of the duel begun, and my strategy was just beginning to come together. At long last, I had seven cards in my hand, and one of them was a light monster. "I'll pass again." Now that my hand was overflowing, I was allowed to discard a card to the grave during the end phase. I pitched Airknight Parshath, and unless Zane teched in a card that would banish some of my own cards from grave, I would be fine. Now I just needed to survive whatever attacks he would throw my way and draw into my trump cards.

"I've had just about enough of this ridiculous farce. I draw, and summon **Cyber Phoenix** **(1200/1600)** in attack mode!" In a pillar of light, a mechanical phoenix with four wings emerged, its cybernetic veins flowing with strange orange fuel. "Attack him now!"

I had to let Cyber Phoenix's attack go through, since its special effect prevented me from targeting it. Still, it felt good to know that I forced Zane to abandon his usual strategy. **(Jamie 2800/Zane 4000)**

"Now the game can truly begin!" I laughed bracingly, taking the damage. "What a shame that you won't be able to make your major plays."

"You honestly think my entire strategy revolves around summoning Cyber Dragon turn one? Fool. You've done nothing but give me time to accumulate my resources." Zane snorted, and for the first time, I felt a faint stirring of fear in the pit of my stomach. Perhaps I really was playing into Zane's hand.

"My draw. I'll play **Mystical Space Typhoon** to destroy your face-down card. Next, I'll summon **Gemini Elf (1900/1000)** in attack mode!" Twin sisters descended to the field, dark energy crackling at their fingertips. One of the sisters had dark brown hair and a slinky purple dress, while her twin had wavy blonde hair and a dress adorned with furs. Their clever eyes narrowed in mischief and malice as they saw Zane.

"Attack his Cyber Phoenix now!" My girls put their hands together, creating a huge sphere of shadowy energy from their combined powers. With a cry, they hurled the energy ball at the Cyber Phoenix, warping it apart. **(Jamie 2800/Zane 3300)**

"I'll end with that." Well, at least I got in a bit of damage on him. I looked over at the spectators, and noticed that they seemed quite shocked as well. Jaden's grin widened, Bastion's eyebrows arched, Syrus' scowl deeped, and Chumley's vaguely bored countenance remained unchanged. Alexis was looking at me strangely- I couldn't tell what she was thinking at all. But that didn't matter. I needed to win as soon as possible before Zane drew something he needed. To my surprise, Zane looked pleased- definitively not a good sign.

"You spent so long trying to avoid my Cyber Dragon only to grow impatient in the end! Not so clever in the end, are you? Now then, since you have a monster on the field and I don't, I think I'll special summon my **Cyber Dragon (2100/1600)** in attack mode." I cringed, realizing my error all too late. How could I have made such an amateur mistake? Perhaps it was my nerves affecting my judgment. I wanted so badly to win that it was affecting my play. I was always the type of duelist who played better when I was completely relaxed. My strategic mind could better experiment and take risks without the fear of failure looming over me.

Taking a deep breath, I stood up straight and stretched out my shoulders. I loosened the tension around my brow and braced myself for Zane's next play, hoping I had the tools to avoid an OTK.

"Next, I'll activate **Future Fusion**. This continuous spell allows me to target one fusion monster in my fusion deck. I think I'll choose Cyber End Dragon. Then, I send that monster's fusion materials from my deck to my graveyard." Zane said strictly, pitching two Cyber Dragons and a Proto-Cyber Dragon to the graveyard. "Then, in my second standby phase after this card's activation, I can summon the Cyber End Dragon from my deck to the field. Two turns." Zane held up two fingers, as if I was some dense child that didn't understand numbers.

It looked like things were being hurried along, then. "Two turns, eh? We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Now do your worst!" I balked, my bravado hiding a very real terror at the way this duel was headed.

"As you wish! Cyber Dragon, attack his Gemini Elf with strident blaze!" The mechanical hydra let loose a blue stream of flame at my girls, who cringed in terror as the beam approached.

"I activate my trap card, **Draining Shield**!" A green barrier materialized around my elves, the flames harmlessly licking away at its surface. "This negates your monster's attack and allows me to gain life points based on how many attack points your monster has!" I grinned as I saw the life point counter on my duel disk rise. **(Jamie 4900/Zane 3300)**

Zane huffed. "Very well. I'll set a card face-down and normal summon **Cyber Valley (0/0)** in attack mode." A small, silver-plated serpent slithered to the field, its sides adorned with red power nodes.

"I chain the activation of my second trap to your end phase- go, **Ring of Destruction**! This will destroy your Cyber Dragon and inflict damage to our life points based on its attack points! And it looks like I have plenty of life points to spare!" I boasted a bit, my two-trap combo going off nicely.

The ring of explosives detonated around the Cyber Dragon's neck, the explosion causing both Zane and I to cover our eyes. Zane growled at the impudence of such a play, believing it to be part of a wider combo on my part. He would be wrong in that assumption, but far be it from me to correct him. **(Jamie 2800/Zane 1200)**

"That worked out really well for him, then. I almost thought Jamie messed up big time there." Jaden said with a short laugh.

"Oh, he might have. But still, being able to cover your tracks when you make a mistake is a good skill for any duelist to have." Bastion noted, his eye ever critical.

 _"No way…maybe he can beat my brother!"_ Syrus thought, the idea both thrilling and frightening to him.

 _"I enjoy watching Jamie duel. It's nice to see a duelist with a bit of guile. But Zane's got this one, I think."_ Alexis mentally sighed.

"Ok, what should we do here…I need this next draw to be a good one!" I drew, and if there was ever a time I needed the Heart of the Cards to be real, now was it.

And so enough, it was true. The Black Luster Soldier- Envoy of the Beginning was in my hand and ready to summon at any time, since I had a Don Zaloog and an Airknight Parsath in grave. Oh, to see the look on Zane's face when his precious Cyber End Dragon gets banished with one swing of the sword will be worth all this. For now, I would have my trusty Marshmallon playing defense.

"I'll set a monster in face-down defense position. Then, I'll get that Cyber Valley out of my way! Gemini Elf, attack now!" The girls shot another volley of dark violet blasts, but I knew these wouldn't find their mark, unfortunately. Cyber Valley's special effect activated, banishing itself to end the battle phase. The cybernetic serpent vanished in a shimmering curtain of golden light, taking my attack with it. Zane got to draw a card out of the deal as well.

"I end my turn." I muttered. Zane was as detached as any surgeon I had ever seen. I was starting to understand why he was viewed as being so intimidating- that stone-cold look on his face was unseemly, even though I knew that he wasn't always this way.

"One standby phase has passed." Zane intoned. "I'll activate the **Cyber Repair Plant** spell card. This lets me activate one or two effects depending on how many Cyber Dragons are in my graveyard. Since there are three, I can activate two effects. The first lets me add a Light Machine monster from my deck to my hand. After that, I can add another Light Machine from the graveyard back into the deck." Zane then returned a Cyber Dragon to a deck while adding what else but another fucking Cyber Valley.

"Shoot, another Cyber Valley, huh? Looks like you're going to be able to summon your Cyber End Dragon after all." I said, trying to be sportsmanlike.

"Actually, I don't believe that will be needed. I have everything I need to win this game right now! By banishing every Light Machine from my field and graveyard I can summon the glorious **Cyber Eltanin (?/?)**!"

"What!?" I thought Zane only had this card in the manga or something! Clearly, this wasn't the case. From now on, I would have to assume that every character had cards from both the anime and the manga as well. Which ones they had would have to be determined.

Meanwhile, a shocking blue portal opened behind Zane, depressurized wind blasting from its entrance. Zane's navy blue hair blew every which way, but otherwise he was stock still, his arms crossed and his expression passionless. Meanwhile, here I was throwing my arms in front of my face to protect myself from holographic wind of all things.

Cyber Eltanin was massive- it utterly dwarfed every one of us, its chrome frame larger and wider than the maw of the island's volcano. Nine smaller mecha dragon heads circled around one utterly huge face. It roared a high-pitched whine, the air itself reverberating around its giant teeth. Instantly, one of the nine dragon heads unleashed a bright blue laser that vaporized my Gemini Elf.

"When Cyber Eltanin is summoned, all other face-up monsters are destroyed. Then, it gains 500 attack and defense points for each monster banished for the summon. I banished three Cyber Dragons, a Cyber Valley, and a Cyber Phoenix, giving Cyber Eltanin 2500 points!"

I smirked, glad to have a set monster and some face-downs.

"Next, I'll normal summon **Cyber Dragon Zwei (1500/1500)**!" Another silver serpent appeared, although it was practically a bug next to the massive Eltanin. Yellow light emanated from the Cyber Dragon Zwei's plate armor, giving it an eerie glow.

"Now, attack his set monster!" The serpent coiled and lunged, flipping my monster face-up. Unfortunately for my good friend Zane, he attacked my trusty pal **Marshmallon (300/500).** The Cyber Dragon ripped the cute pink marshmallow in half, only for my creature to effortlessly reform a moment later.

"What a shame that you ran into _my_ ace monster. Behold, the powers of basic battle immunity! Now, since you attacked Marshmallon, you'll be taking 1000 points of damage. Too bad, but hey, you shouldn't have attacked." I grinned a bit- I was so close to victory! **(Jamie 2800/Zane 200)**

To my surprise, the corners of Zane's mouth twitched upwards as well. "You know, I saw your entrance examination against Professor Drummond. I wasn't impressed with you then. You seemed arrogant and proud of hiding behind your defensive traps. I didn't like the way you disposed of your cards when you were done with them like tools. I still don't like that. But you are good. I can respect skill, and you have skill. Few have brought me this close to defeat before. This has been a fun game, and I regret that it must end so soon."

I was surprised- I don't think I've ever heard him say so much. _"Thank you, Zane. All I wanted was respect."_ I admitted internally, having no intention of saying such a thing aloud. I nodded, taking a long breath before replying. "In a real battle, you do what must be done to win. Without Marshmallon, I would've lost against Professor Drummond, and he wasn't even using his real deck. Without my traps, you would've defeated me twice over by now." I paused before delivering the main point of this little speech. Wow, this really is like an anime.

"People want to judge me for dueling the way I want to? They're free to do so. They can judge from the sidelines as I keep winning!" I drew my next card, and I knew instinctively that this was my chance to win. Was this the heart of the cards?

I only had this one moment to win. The next turn, Zane's Future Fusion would activate, and that Cyber End Dragon would come bearing down like a hurricane, a force of nature beyond my power to stop or even slow down. That meant I had to strike right now!

"At long last, it's here…my time is now! I banish Don Zaloog and Airknight Parshath from my graveyard to summon my strongest monster, the golden knight that walks the road to twilight! Through Light and Darkness his path intersects! Come forth, **Black Luster Soldier- Envoy of the Beginning (3000/2500)**!"

The afternoon was fading to evening, and that warm orange glow was just beginning to fall over the island as my knight took to the battlefield, that halo of glorious fire burning all around him.

"Woah…no way. Does Jamie actually have this?" Alexis wondered out loud. "Hey, good for him if he does, I didn't think anybody could beat Zane." Chumley added. Far from being resentful or jealous, Jaden watched the match with a light smile, simply enjoying the battle of wills unfolding before him. Syrus was caught up in the match, not sure how to feel.

"Amazing…I never thought I would see a freshman with such a powerful monster. Truly, it's an amazing creature." Zane said in genuine recognition. I ignored his words and instead focused on his face-down.

 _"Of course that's a battle trap. But I have no choice but to attack! Sure, I could banish one of his monsters, but that won't do any good when Cyber End Dragon is on the field next turn anyways! Damn it all!"_ I cursed, on the razor's edge of panic. This couldn't be the end, not when I had gotten so far!

'What is it? The way forward is clear." Zane said knowingly.

"Of course it is. Black Luster Soldier, attack his Cyber Dragon Zwei and end this duel now!" My dark knight leapt majestically into the air, bringing down his curved blade with a strong sense of finality.

"You've surprised me, kid. But you're not the only one who can use a cheap battle trap! Activate, reverse card! **Mirror Force**!"

"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me!" My jaw dropped in utter and devastating shock, feeling a sudden drop in the pits of my stomach.

"Language, freshman!" Zane said as my knight in shining armor, my indefatigable champion, was blasted apart in a blinding flash of light. I was left with only Marshmallon, the sweet little guy giving me a look of sympathy as my last hope was lost.

"Shoot, and I came so close!" I had nothing left. My face-downs were bluffs, completely useless in the face of this seemingly insurmountable challenge. My arms fell to my sides, my clenched fists slowly unfurling. Still, I wouldn't surrender. I would stand tall and dignified in the face of defeat, just as Jaden did before me. Hey, at least it was a hard-fought game, but sometimes you've just gotta throw in the towel.

Haha, you didn't really believe that, did you?

"I set a card face-down and end my turn." I muttered stonily. Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, and Alexis were shocked, clearly expecting me to have another trick up my sleeve, some way of stealing victory away. I suppose they would see soon enough.

"So let it be done." With a flourish, Zane drew his last card. "Now that two standby phases have passed, my Future Fusion spell activates properly, allowing me to summon my own pride and joy! Come forth, **Cyber End Dragon (4000/2800)**!"

A torrent of blue flame erupted suddenly and fiercely, taking my breath away. From the pillar of fire burst the three-headed hydra, its metallic exterior shimmering in the nighttime reflection of the nearby waters. It screeched harshly, but my ears hardly noticed it, white noise blocking everything else out.

"As I'm sure you're aware, the Cyber End Dragon inflicts piercing damage whenever it battles a defensive monster. Since your Marshmallon only has 500 defense points, that will add up to 3500 points of damage inflicted to you." Zane eyed my face-down cards carefully, but he seemed otherwise confident about this impending attack.

"Attack with Triple Evolution Burst!" The three heads of the dragon were alight with blue energy, photons streaming off of the blasts in blue lines of light.

My Marshmallon, the brave little guy, withstood the blast as well as any other. He reformed and took his place by my side, a truly loyal soldier under my command. But in this case, even Marshmallon's defenses were totally inadequate. The blast nearly rushed over me, and I stood tall, my green eyes bright, cold, and furious **.**

Suddenly, a moment before the laser would have hit me, it halted and sputtered out. It was still close enough to kick up a cloud of dust, but even still, the audience was confused as to what actually happened. The dust settled, but the monsters didn't disappear. That was the first clue for many of the spectators that something was amiss, but Zane didn't seem to notice.

"Good game, man. I mean, it's not the outcome either of us would have wanted, but oh well…" I said with affected lightness.

Zane nodded back, before the implications of my words dawned on him. "What are you talking about? I just won. That's exactly the outcome I was going for."

I cackled. "You might want to take a look at your pet! It looks like somebody's fixed him with a new collar! Personally, I think it's very fashionable!"

Everyone's eyes locked onto the neck of the Cyber End Dragon, where a ring adorned with bombs was affixed.

"No way…impossible!" Zane said in genuine shock.

" **Ring of Destruction**..." I say, gesturing to my flipped up trap. "I know, running two copies is a bit reckless, but I figure it would be a good backup measure just in case. Looks like it paid off, at least when the alternative scenario is considered."

"That means…a draw." Zane said slowly, the situation unbalancing him. I couldn't blame him; a draw in this game was quite rare.

But he was right; in this time period, Ring of Destruction had not yet been errata'd, meaning that upon activation, both players took the damage from the card's effect at the same time, resulting in a draw in this case. When the card's text got altered by Konami in 2015, the effect actually damaged the player who activated it first, meaning that I would have technically lost had I activated the post-errata version of the card. Konami was motivated to get Ring of Destruction off the banlist, but luckily for me, the card in its original form hadn't even been banned yet here! Before it did, I planned to take it as far as I could.

The ring exploded, the burst of flame completely engulfing the Cyber End Dragon, as well as us both. **(Jamie 0/Zane 0)**

"A draw…just like taking your sister to the big dance. Not exactly painful enough to be called a loss…but it sure as hell isn't a win either." I say dryly, deactivating my duel disk.

To my shock, Zane actually laughed at that, in spite of himself. When he caught everyone staring in shock at him, he quickly clammed up again, embarrassed to be caught acting like a human being. "I think that's a pretty accurate assessment. You have some nerve, Jamie. I take it you want to be an Obelisk Blue before the year is out." He said, trying to reclaim his cool. I'm sure he was just glad his perfect win record wasn't fully tarnished. Considering how he went off the deep end when Aster Phoenix beat him in canon, I was almost glad not to win.

"I hear the beds are nice. But really, just seeing your face everyday is a good enough reason to join."

Alexis guffawed at this, but the joke seemed lost on Zane. He nodded to himself this time, his arms crossed. "Very well, Jamie Lancaster. Perhaps I will see you among the blue coats before the year is out. I would like to see the future of Obelisk Blue in capable hands. That will be all." With that, he turned around and walked away, not caring about what I, nor any of the spectators, had to say.

 _"How dare he speak to me like that!?"_ I began to grow riled again, but ultimately I realized that this was as close to a show of respect I was going to get from Zane. He seemed to want me in the ranks of Obelisk Blue, as much as he could be said to want for anything. Truly, I calmed down. I couldn't win them all, and Duel Monsters was as much a game of luck as it was of skill. Next time, I would get the better of him. Next time, I would face him as an Obelisk.

Alexis, of course, ran after Zane's retreating form. Truthfully, I found the way she hung off of his arm irritating, but this was mainly out of envy more than anything else if I'm being honest. _"Would she still run after him if I emerged victorious?"_ Shaking my head, I did my best to rid myself of these dark ruminations.

"Hey, you did great out there, Jamie! That was one sweet duel!" Jaden clapped me on the back.

"Thanks, man. I heard you put up a good fight against him as well." I offered him some respect in return.

"Yeah, it was a close one, but that Cyber End Dragon was a bit too much to handle. That's alright though, I'll just have to keep gettting better. It's good to have someone like Zane to aspire to." Jaden replied blithely.

"I'm surprised it was the piercing damage that nearly defeated you, since your deck is so trap heavy. Running two Rings of Destruction…I've tried that before, and it's hardly ever a good idea." Bastion noted clinically. I chuckled as the Slifers' eyes glazed over when Bastion began to speak. He could be a bit of a bore sometimes, I admit.

"Yeah, I wasn't drawing into anything, man. I had no choice but to use it. If only I had a Magic Cylinder, right?" I said, and we both chuckled a bit at that.

"Such statistical anomalies are frustrating indeed. Just run three of them next time." Bastion suggested. Although Magic Cylinder was an expensive card at this time, I did consider buying at least two of them to tech in against Zane in the rematch. That would be doing whatever is necessary to win the battle. And yet, a part of that cynical strategy didn't sit well with me. I never liked to construct a deck solely for the purpose of countering another build, except in extreme situations like the Zoodiac format of late 2016. Then again, I guess that essentially is what every anti-meta deck has been doing since the game's beginning. I made a mental note to pick up a copy of Fossil Dyna as well, if he was out at this point in the game.

"I just wonder what I could have done differently, ya know?" I confided.

"It's possible to make no mistakes and still lose, or in your case draw- this is the way of all battles, not just Duel Monsters. Don't be too hard on yourself, just get ready for the next time." Bastion consoled. I nodded, agreeing silently.

I walked with Bastion, Syrus, Jaden, and Chumley back to the red dorm, and there was a new sense of companionship amongst the group. Even Syrus seemed to view me with some semblance of respect, and I in turn vowed to be more approachable with him. I tried my best to open up and be "one of the boys". These guys were my best chance at finding something like the friendships in my old life. My best chance at finding a family. It was an enormous thing to imagine.

I ended up sleeping at the red dorm that night, Bastion and I curled up in what looked like army reserve sleeping bags. As people tend to do, we talked for hours after crawling into bed, our thoughts pouring out as fast as we could form words to speak with. Inevitably, the discussion turned to girls. This was mainly myself, Syrus and Chumley doing the talking in this case. Bastion considered himself above such a base topic, and Jaden…Jaden was weird. He genuinely didn't seem to have any sort of sexual or romantic drive towards girls. Perhaps the yaoi fangirls were right all these years and he really was gay. Perhaps he simply couldn't feel such emotions because of his past self's promise to Yubel.

 _"What a bizarre idea."_ I mentally scoffed. I still found Yubel to be a rather repulsive creature, and I was not looking forward to the day that I would eventually meet her face-to-face. I was aware it was the Light of Destruction that primarily drove her wicked actions during the series, but that didn't change the fact that she was hurting people and would have to be stopped by force when the time came. If I had the chance to banish that demon to the deepest hell I could find before she killed nearly all of Jaden's friends and drove Jaden to madness, then I would do so without hesitation. Still, I couldn't help wondering if my fear was unreasonable.

But for now, I laughed with the boys. Syrus had just finished regaling some story or another. "Hey you guys, I think Alexis likes me. She even brushed her arm against me during the duel once!" Syrus squeaked excitedly.

"I dunno, it seems like she was more into the duel, Sy." Chumley responded, his perspective a bit more grounded than his roommate. Then, the koala turned from the top of his bunk bed, craning his head to peer down at me. "What do you think of Alexis, Jamie?"

"Anyone with functioning eyes can see that she's pretty. Seems to be a decent duelist as well." I said succinctly.

"Yeah, she's pretty good." Jaden agreed, his hands tucked behind his head as he lay in bed.

"So you _like-like_ her, Jamie?" Syrus asked tentatively.

"I guess, man. As much as every other red-blooded male on this island does." I shrugged, trying not to be too impatient. These guys were at the age where the possibility of attention from those inscrutable girls was enough to get excited over. Technically, I was at that age too, but you know what I mean. Still, I wondered how much of an impression I had made on her as I drifted off to sleep. There were always so many thoughts at the beginning and end of each day.

 **Alexis Rhodes POV**

"So, you're back to your usual spot, eh?" Alexis noted wryly as she joined Zane at the end of the pier, where he stood near the blinking lighthouse that guided ships back to port.

"So it would seem." He smiled slightly. Zane was always able to loosen up just a little when she was around. He and Alexis were childhood friends, having met through Alexis' older brother, Atticus. Zane remembered being so shocked at how different the siblings were. Atticus, brown-haired and broad-shouldered, was always at the ready with some joke or game to counterbalance Zane's grim demeanor. Alexis, on the other hand, was more reserved, a bit cooler than her brother. She was no clown, but she could be just as witty as Atticus if the situation demanded it.

"You played well today." She said soothingly. "Especially since your opponent was playing an unorthodox build."

"Yeah, what a weird kid, right? I guess I misjudged him a little. Still, it was only an unorthodox build as you say because of his rank. Ra Yellow Freshman don't play cards like that in the same way that Jamie Lancaster did today." Zane, ever a proud and strict man, rarely admitted to being wrong publically. Only in Alexis' company did he feel comfortable doing so.

"Oh, I don't think he's that different from you back when you were a freshman. Really, I don't think you two are very different even now. The way Jamie talks, the way he duels…he seems much older than he really is."

"Are you calling me an old man?" Zane replied playfully, bumping her shoulder with his own. "But I can see what you mean. Him and Jaden are both fascinating opponents. It bodes well for the future of this academy that they are both in its ranks. And yet they are very different as well- Jaden is all youthful exuberance and raw talent, while Jamie is a more pragmatic, calculating type. I should like to see the two of them duel one-on-one sometime."

"They really have captured your attention, haven't they? Of course, I'm not one to talk. Anyways, what news of Chazz?" Alexis asked.

"Crowler will be scheduling an examination for him tomorrow. I don't know when it will be yet, but I imagine that it will be no more than a few days out once it is announced."

"I suppose Bastion will be joining our ranks soon, then."

He turned to her and scoffed. "Come now, you really think I would let Bastion pass up Jamie now that I've seen what they're capable of? The choice is clear who should replace Chazz, since Jaden has no interest in advancement. Jamie will duel Chazz- an interesting matchup, wouldn't you agree?"

"Bastion deserves a fair chance, don't you think? He has a certain rigor to him that would make him a good fit for Obelisk. At the very least, he'll bump up our grade average." She defended.

"Bastion will get his chance in time, but for now I need to keep Jamie close to me. He will make a good training partner, and in time he may become the most powerful duelist in Obelisk, once I have graduated. And if he decides to move against me...then it will equally good to have him close."

Alexis sighed, but eventually nodded in understanding- no one got to Zane's level without a good deal of planning and positioning, and even fewer stayed there for long if they underestimated potential rivals. "I'm not sure you should be worried. Jamie seems like a good guy." She said softly.

He turned to her, somewhat stern. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not the bad guy here. I was merely preparing for an eventuality. You must admit there is a certain...belligerence to him."

"Yeah, I suppose…" She assented begrudgingly. She did like Jamie, and looked forward to getting to know him better in the Obelisk dorms. She just hoped that he wouldn't run afoul of Zane and Crowler…

 **Jamie's (My) POV**

The rest of the school week went normally….far too normally. I kept coming back to the dorm expecting Bastion to be gone, but he still remained, spending most of time in the room drawing equations on the walls and ceiling. I couldn't imagine how Jaden and Syrus were holding up, since their tag duel was this afternoon at the Obelisk Arena.

"Why the hell are you writing the quadratic formula on the ceiling and not on a piece of paper? Do you think I enjoy looking at that every morning?" I asked out of exasperation. When he didn't respond, I added, "I can get you paper."

"I've discovered the secret…the secret to Jaden's deck! He relies completely on fusion summoning!" Bastion nearly shouted as he thrust several pages of notes into the air, like he had just uncovered the secrets of the universe.

I simply stared at him blankly, expectant of a further explanation.

"I mean to say that I found a few cards that could counter Jaden's deck well. It's obvious that Jaden relies on fusion summoning." Bastion hastily added.

"Yeah, whatever you say, bud! So what are you teching in?" I ask.

"I have a few ideas…but I'm really liking this trap card I found. It's called the Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell." I walked over to his side of the room, where he had the card's information pulled up on Amazon, a website which still existed in this world I guess. Mentally, I made a note to buy stock in the company as soon as possible.

"Well, I like that it's a counter trap, but having to discard a spell card sucks. It's such a shame Prohibition is banned." I replied.

"Oh, you would have had a field day with that card. I could only imagine the look on Zane's face if you played Prohibition and called the name of his beloved Cyber Dragon." Bastion chuckled.

"I see it every night in my dreams. Still, I suppose this card is your best bet. You could always negate his fusions with Magic Jammer, but that would only be a superior option if your cards benefitted in some way from being in the graveyard." I postulated. "You know, like if you ran Sinister Serpent or something. Magic Drain is another option, but these are trap cards we're speaking of. They're intrinsically slow. If Jaden fuses turn one, you're suddenly looking at an buttload of dead draws."

"Indeed, maybe even multiple buttloads. For now, I'll place an order for three of these cards, since they're cheap enough. Is there anything you're thinking of picking up?" Bastion swiveled in his chair to ask me.

"I want another copy of Magic Cylinder, but they're too expensive. I appreciate your offer anyways." I waved off. I would have to find some way of getting money for cards soon. I doubted my parents would approve of me spending their hard earned cash on children's trading cards, even if they did technically count as "school supplies".

"Now then, you never explained how you'll be getting your ridiculous math problems off of the wall."

Bastion rubbed the back of his head with a nervous laugh. "Sorry about that. I just run out of paper and continue my thoughts on the only surface available to me. The walls need to be painted soon anyways, so it's not a big deal." He explained hastily.

I laughed. "Ah, okay then. I didn't even realize it, but the paint is starting to peel a bit now that you mention it. Of course, I doubt this will be our room for much longer."

"You think so? I've grown rather comfortable in here." Bastion responded idly. "But I'm not so ambitious as you, I'm afraid."

"There are certainly benefits to keeping the yellow coat. Others will underestimate you, to their peril." I acknowledged, but Bastion only smiled and shook his head.

"Not everything has to be a tactic, you know. I enjoy the company of my floormates here, including you. I enjoy this location on campus, by the green grass and the forest. Frankly, after I thought about it, I don't think Obelisk would suit me, but you…you were born to wear the blue coat. The next chance you get, you should test to get in there. I'd love to see you earn it." He clapped me on the shoulder, and I knew then that Bastion was a good and loyal friend for life. A brother that would support me and I him.

I grinned back. "I will. Anyways, let's head down to the arena. Jaden and Syrus will enjoy the sight of a friendly face right about now." We grabbed our backpacks and trekked down to the Obelisk arena.

The match went about the same as it did in canon, although Syrus was perhaps a bit more assertive in his demeanor. I underestimated how irritating the Paradox Brothers way of speaking was in the show, and soon, no one was cheering for their defeat as loudly as I. UFOroid Fighter did the trick again, as I figured it would. Bastion and I sat with Alexis, and argument soon erupted between them which I found to be hilarious. Bastion endlessly dogged Jaden and Syrus, doubting their strategy at every turn and generally remaining skeptical. Meanwhile, Alexis was all blind hope and optimism, and I could tell that she was beginning to get annoyed with Bastion the longer the match wore on. Even worse was the fact that I was sitting between them, so I was forced into the role of mediator half the time.

However, that was all forgotten soon enough as Jaden and Syrus emerged victorious from their trial by combat. It amused me to see Alexis offer Syrus only the necessary expected congratulations, then heap praise on Jaden like the dude was the second coming of Yugi Moto himself. _"Then again, he is a king in his own way."_ I corrected myself.

Smiling, I was happy to stand back and watch the congratulations be doled out. Therefore, I was surprised to see Jaden fall into step with me as we exited the cool arena chamber into the yellow sunlight. We tapered off from the main group so as to speak more privately.

"Thanks again for training with Syrus and I last week, I think it really helped him out. He's doing a lot better than he was. Still not perfect, but hey, he's getting there." Jaden said. He was really such a nice person, considering I had no intention of dueling either of them in the first place and only did so in order to get to Zane. I gulped nervously, feeling guilty all of the sudden.

"Any time. I was glad to do it. And I agree with you about Syrus. I know he's shy, but as long as he keeps challenging himself every day, he'll become an amazing duelist. He might need help from us in that regard, though." I replied.

"He'll come around, in time." Jaden said with a chuckle. I laughed as well, completely sure that he would.

"All great things have humble beginnings."

"I'm glad you didn't say 'small beginnings'. Syrus might have an issue with that." Jaden admitted.

"To be completely honest with you Jaden, I don't think Syrus likes me very much at the moment. But I would like to see him succeed. He's not gonna do it with the mindset he has right now." I said. The unspoken question hung in the air. _"Do you trust my intentions?"_

Jaden thought about the question for approximately three seconds before answering, "I dunno, you seem like a decent guy to me. Alexis and Bastion seem to like ya. Plus, you're really strong and fun to duel against, so you're alright in my book! Maybe Syrus could stand to get a little more experience dueling." He finally answered.

"I think you're a good guy too. I'd like to duel you again soon. Anyways, I appreciate your thanks." I replied.

"No problem. Let's go get some food with everyone else, I'm starved!" Jaden waved as we rejoined Bastion, Syrus, Chumley, and Alexis. I nearly couldn't contain my joy at having a good group of friends to call my own. Some went their whole lives without any, so I was lucky to have a second life to make new friends in.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **Gradually, we're going to depart from the stations of the canon, and the stage is already set for a few crucial divergences. Jamie will be dueling Chazz next chapter for the right to enter into Obelisk Blue, which will be a huge turning point for both characters. Chazz has not made many waves in the story so far, but I have big plans for his character- his arc is going to be very unique and will incorporate elements of the anime and manga, among other things.**

 **Ultimately, Jamie did not beat Zane, although he did manage to earn a modicum of respect from the Kaiser. Their relationship will also be a significant part of the story- they will have a rivalry/friendship akin to Yami Yugi and Seto Kaiba from the original series. But which one is more like Yugi and which one is more like Kaiba? I'll leave it to you to decide. Next chapter will see a duel between Jamie and Chazz, as well as the introduction of a new character. Until then!**


	4. The Blue Wave

Chapter 4: Wave After Wave

Finally…" I roared. "I've got you right where I want you! Prepare to meet your doom, Bastion Misawa!"

"D…Damn you…you'll pay for this!" Bastion grunted, his teeth clenched in frustration as I backed him into a corner.

"Not likely. Bishop to E3."

"Oh, you bitch." Bastion cursed under his breath as my black bishop took his white queen from across the board.

"Language. You know kids could hear you." I laughed boisterously. We were both sitting cross-legged on the patio outside the Ra Yellow dorm, enjoying a calm Sunday morning. We sipped on coffee and green tea respectively- turns out Bastion's a bit of a health freak. He was always talking about how green tea was a superior nootropic to coffee, and suggested I switch teams immediately. Naturally, I continued to drink my coffee just to spite him.

"What kids are those?" Bastion chuckled weakly, a bit miffed that I had taken his most powerful piece while securing my own position. I admit, pulling off that particular move felt pretty good, especially since Bastion usually kicked my ass at chess. That was embarrassing, considering I had many years of life experience over him. I never got into chess in my previous life, but I found it a positively invigorating activity now. It was pure strategy, devoid of the auspicious luck that so often characterized a game of Duel Monsters. That's probably why Bastion usually beat me.

"Oh, none I suppose. Still, I'm shocked to hear that a gentleman like yourself has such a potty mouth." I smiled at him. "It's a good thing you don't lose very often, or you'd make the sailors blush." I gestured over to the ships leaving the harbor near the Slifer Red dorms, no doubt off to get some more provisions for the denizens of this cozy little island.

"You took me by surprise, that's all. To see you actually pull off a shrewd move is like watching Zushin the Sleeping Giant hit the field." Bastion mocked right back. He was starting to give as good as he got, which was good- perhaps he would even have a sense of humor before the year was out!

"You've actually seen Zushin the Sleeping Giant in play before?" I asked, taking a swig of my drink.

"Of course not, my dog back home is smart enough to keep that monstrosity from every being summoned. Who in their right mind would ever try to play such a ridiculous card? I mean could you imagine keeping a level one normal monster on the field for ten turns? It's just a metaphor, that's all. Oh, and check."

I grimaced before moving my king out of danger. "I don't know, it's probably happened somewhere. I almost want to try it, just to see if I could pull it off." I shrugged while inwardly chuckling. If this ever turns into a 5D's crossover, I'd like to see Bastion have words with Team Taiyo.

"Why bother? You'd have better luck showing up with a deck of regular playing cards and dueling with those, I expect. I summon the ace of spades in attack mode!" Bastion chuckled.

"Must you destroy my dreams? But you're right, I suppose. Besides, duelists around here are too proud to risk losing games, even when there are no stakes." I said.

"Said the man whose deck mainly consists of semi-limited and limited cards." Bastion pointed out, perceptive as always.

"Hey, I never said I wasn't too proud to risk losing games. Although there is a new deck I've been meaning to try out for a while. I'll show it to you after I finish it." I mentioned offhand, looking forward to the time when I would unveil my Melodious deck to this school's population.

"I can't wait to see it. Checkmate." Bastion trapped my king between his sole remaining rook and bishop, and I was forced to concede.

"Man, you're really good at this." I shrugged and laughed.

"You're pretty good yourself. At the very least, you're capable of planning out your moves a few turns in advance. Good game. Anyways, I'll see you later." Bastion stood abruptly, donning his yellow blazer.

"Where are you off to?' I asked idly, my gaze turned out to the sea.

"Hall Government meeting. Apparently, Professor Crowler wishes to see us about something as well. I'll be talking to him afterwards." Bastion yawned, packing away his chess set.

"Should I come along?" I wasn't sure what business Crowler would have with me, considering I had never even spoken with him before. Hopefully I hadn't earned his ire this early.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, I doubt the matters spoken of will be very interesting anyways. I'll give you the details afterwards if you don't accompany me." Bastion offered. I liked how utterly _reasonable_ he was all the time. It was a pleasure to work with someone so chill.

"That sounds good. Thanks, man." I said sincerely.

"It is no problem, the issue concerns us both, after all. I'll see you in a bit." Bastion waved goodbye and went downstairs for the hall government meeting. Naturally, Bastion was the vice-president of the dorm already, despite being a freshman. I hadn't met the president yet, but I assumed he or she was a pretty accomplished and intelligent person to be able to pull rank on Bastion.

I didn't want to go back to the room yet, so I decided to go see what my favorite Slifers were up to. I imagine that with their tag team match over and done with, they were getting some much-needed down time. I couldn't blame them- it was a great day for a nap.

I grabbed my fishing gear and moseyed down the beaten path to the Slifer Red dorm, preparing my nose for the musty stench that would surely greet me upon arrival.

Scrunching my nose, I bounded up the rickety steps that lead to the dorm's second floor. I knocked on the door carefully so as not to knock it down, such was its fragility. I was greeted by Chumley, which came as a surprise.

"Man, you're up early, Jamie." The big koala bear yawned in a rather endearing way.

"What can I say, I've always loved the mornings. It's a great time to fish. Besides, it's nearly ten. Shouldn't you be up by now anyways?" I asked playfully, nudging his arm.

"No way, it's Sunday. Besides, I just went through a very stressful tag match recently against the Paradox Brothers- I deserve some sleep!" Chumley said facetiously.

"Ah yes, must have been harrowing for you. Are Jaden and Syrus around?" I asked for the sake of being polite. Of course, if Jaden or Syrus were here, they would have answered the door while Chumley remained in bed.

"They went to go shoot some hoops, I think. I bet they'd be glad to have you though, you look like you're in decent shape." Chumley said idly.

"Cool, maybe I'll join them. Thanks, Chum. Say, you wouldn't happen to be down for a quick duel, would you?" I couldn't keep the grin from working its way up my face as I spoke. Chumley's normally ruddy face paled at the question, and I broke out into laughter.

"Just kidding. What I was really wondering is if you had a grilled cheese on hand, I'm a bit hungry." I said, and the tension visibly deflated from his face. Shame that dueling gets the guy so worked up, but then again his talents clearly lie elsewhere. I bet he made good money designing cards for Industrial Illusions at the age of sixteen while the rest of his peers were still in school. That's something to admire.

"I was just about to whip some up, come in." Chumley went back into the room, leaving the door open for me. Nodding, I walked in.

To put it gently, the place smelled absolutely atrocious. Grabbing a can of spray deodorant from the corner, I sprayed it all over the place before opening the shades.

"Oh god, natural light!" Chum nearly melted upon direct contact with the sunlight. Going over to his desk, he grabbed a briefcase and opened it, revealing a portable sandwich toaster that looked brand new. Is it weird that I'm not surprised at all he owns a personal sandwich grill? Better not question it. He grabbed bread and cheese before going to work.

"So, any plans for today?" I said idly, looking around the place. The room was clearly split into thirds, with Syrus' section being much cleaner than Jaden and Chumley's. It was a bit cramped and far from luxurious, and yet it also had a comfy, homey feel to it.

"No problem, Jim." I started- that's the first time anyone's called me that. "I was thinking I'd do some drawing today."

"You like to draw? That's cool! Do you have any artwork lying around?" I ask.

"Sure thing, it's in the bottom drawer, right side." He nodded before turning his attention back to the toaster.

Sure enough, there was a short stack of pencil and pen drawings at the bottom of the drawer. Some of them were of Duel Monsters cards- I noticed a very well-done Master of Oz and a Dark Magician in there. Others were of breathtaking landscapes. My personal favorite was a detailed watercolor painting of the Sydney Opera House.

"These are excellent! So, are you from Australia then?" I ask. It was never actually said whether Chumley was from Australia or not in canon, but frankly it's a deduction anyone could make. The guy even looks like a koala for Ra's sake!

"That's right! Sydney, born and raised! That painting you're holding was an impression I drew up while I sat at this really nice coffee house across the bay. It's one of my favorite pieces." Chumley took the sandwiches off the grill and handed me one. It was too hot to eat, so I set it on the desk while looking through the rest of his work.

"Which duel monsters do you like to draw? Any preference in particular?" I ask while looking at an uncolored pencil drawing of Elemental Hero Flame Wingman.

"Whatever catches my muse at the time. I was thinking of drawing Cyber End Dragon or Black Luster Soldier next." Chumley said, taking a bite of his grilled cheese.

I grinned. "That sounds great."

After chilling with Chumley for a bit, I continued on my way to go fishing.

It was the weekend, so of course the beach was fairly crowded- not as much as it would be in the afternoon, but still a fairly populated shoreline. The waves were fierce today, whitecaps crashing on the sands at surprising speeds. I moseyed over to the pier, the only spot where the water was calm enough to fish in. I missed fishing in a freshwater lake, but this was just fine. More than fine, really.

The view was utterly magnificent, and I wasn't just talking about the water. Plenty of fit female surfers out and about, their well-kept surfboards carving through the water like blades through string. Unfortunately, it looked like the vast majority of them were having an outing with their boyfriends- always a disheartening sight to the single man.

I ignored them and returned to fishing. Casting out a line, I began to let my thoughts wander unrestrained. There were so many questions…they loomed over me like a dark storm cloud, blotting out the horizon.

And why shouldn't they? The abandoned dorm, the shadow riders, the Society of Light, Adrian Gecko, Yubel…and the King. Was that everything? No…I forgot about the oh-so cleverly named Darkness and that weird Trueman guy. And Fujiwara. Everything seemed relatively normal now, nothing but school assignments and girls to worry about. But the supernatural bubbled beneath the surface, threatening to burst forth at any given time. In mere months, I would have to deal with godly forces that have been warring since the beginning of time.

The best way to deal with it was not obvious. In fact, it was actually incredible how far out of my depth I was. Oh sure, we could just beat all the bad guys in duels when the time came, but what if we get bad draws at the wrong time? What if the enemies have powers that affect the duel in an adverse way? What if crucial cards in our decks get banned? I'm looking at you, Elemental Hero Stratos! The next banlist in this world comes out December 31, in a few months time. And besides, even if the enemies seen in canon are defeated, who knows whether the forces of light and darkness will even remain complacent afterward? There was so much to prepare for, I didn't know where to begin.

My mental drifting was interrupted, somewhat fittingly, by a physical drifting. A black and violet striped surfboard caught onto my fishing line and jolted me from my reverie. I smiled, bemused. "Looks like someone had a bit of a wipeout." I leaned down and grabbed the board, dragging it up onto the pier. I straightened out the line as best I could before standing up and looking for this board's lost owner.

What do you know, it was my lucky day. I saw someone swimming frantically to shore, helped along by the waves. I picked the surfboard up, rolled up my pants, and leapt onto the sands.

She ran out of the water towards me with a breathless smile. Her hair was light brown, windswept and stringy from the water. She had eyes of a deep, deep blue, the color of a lake at midnight. Her swimsuit was a warm shade of pink, made to wick dry quickly after a long day in the water. She was in great shape- I saw defined triceps and calves, which is usually a rare thing around here.

"Thanks for catching that! Who knows how far it would have went otherwise." Her voice was weightless and relaxed- clearly, she was either in a great mood or was a naturally buoyant person, like Jaden.

"Hey, no problem!" Either way, her good cheer was having an effect on me. "It looks professional, you clearly take good care of it." I smiled back.

"Thanks! I'm trying to surf competitively someday, so I'm trying to get some practice while the water is still so nice! Gotta get a leg up on the competition, ya know?" She smirked.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Keep it up! You already look better than anyone else out here." I decided to go for the compliment. She seemed to enjoy the praise, so I counted it as a good move.

"Aw, thanks! You're in pretty good shape for a fisherman, yourself." She said brazenly while she raked her eyes up and down my frame, which was growing more and more fit by the day ever since I started working out and eating right again. It was difficult and frustrating working with this scrawny fifteen-year old body, but gains were made nonetheless, with enough effort. I made a little 'aw-shucks' gesture. What was her accent? West coast for the most part, but there was a vague sprinkling of some British slant in there.

"I'm-" Damn, I nearly dropped my real name again! One of these days I'm gonna slip up and that's gonna be really awkward. Weird to think that now I nearly share a name with an already existing fictional character. Wait, aren't I technically a fictional character now? Never mind. "Jamie Lancaster, nice to meet you."

"Sweet, I'm Erin Reid, future surfer extraordinaire and current sophomore in Obelisk Blue." She held out her hand, and I very nearly didn't take it, thinking it a rather lame gesture. I did anyways, and I was surprised to find out how strong her grip was. It seems like all the hot girls are in Obelisk Blue. "Are you a freshman? I've never seen you before." She asked lightly.

"Yeah, but don't hold it against me." I said. We both chuckled a little bit. "Are you in Obelisk?" She asked with an arched eyebrow, crossing her arms.

"I will be soon. For now, I chill in Ra Yellow. Frankly, I think blue would suit me better. Not to mention I hear the company is better."

She nodded, satisfied with this answer. "Good to meet you, freshman. I'll see you around." She lightly touched my arm before grabbing the board out of my hands and rushing back to the water. Erin Reid, I believe her name was. Wow, where were the girls like her in the series proper? If they wanted me to tune in every week, just give that character some more screentime. Bemused, I decided to head back to my fishing, having much more to think about now.

With a little spring in my step, I made my way back to the Ra Yellow dorm around one in the afternoon, intent on a nap. I couldn't believe how tan my skin was getting- I think island life agrees with me! I imagine it's quite expensive for any parent to send their child to this school- the weather alone merited a high cost of entry. And to learn Duel Monsters no less! It was simply too good to be true, and yet it was.

Sighing, my good mood was somewhat dampened when I saw Crowler and Bastion standing in the commons, talking at length about something. I already knew that I should have a look into this.

Bastion caught sight of me and waved me over. "Jamie, have you had the pleasure of meeting Professor Vellian Crowler outside of class yet?"

 _"No, I haven't had the displeasure of seeing his ugly visage up close, Bastion, but thank you for asking."_ "No, I'm afraid I haven't." Putting on my most charming smile, I shook the professor's hand firmly, keeping my eyes fixed on his shoulders. I did this partially to avoid looking at his ugly mug, and partially to seem like an awkward and unassuming freshman intimidated by something as trivial as a conversation with a teacher.

"It's an honor, mister Lancaster, truly." Crowler crooned. I had no idea if he was being sarcastic or not.

"The professor was speaking to me about a possible advancement opportunity for us both." Bastion said, his hands folded.

"Excellent, I would love to hear about it." I prompted.

"Very good. See, I have heard whispers of your daring match against young master Truesdale, and found them positively scintillating. Really, you must tell me more about it!" Crowler clapped his hands together like the fop he was. I supposed he was polite enough though. Maybe he wasn't bad as long as Jaden wasn't around. Then again, I'm sure his affability would evaporate quickly if I crossed him.

I explained the story to him, carefully choosing which aspects of it to emphasize and which to downplay while still keeping a mysterious air about the whole thing. I made sure to extensively compliment Zane while keeping my own achievements somewhat downplayed. Crowler ate it all up.

"Simply marvelous. I only wish I could've seen such a spectacle with my own eyes. But I'm sure you wish to hear more about this promotion opportunity."

I placed my hands behind my back, prompting him to continue while not showing too much of my excitement.

"I admit, I originally wished to offer this to Bastion alone, but after mister Truesdale put in a few good words on your behalf, I had to come to you as well. From there, Bastion seemed to agree with me that you are the best choice for Obelisk Blue."

"I don't want to advance until I defeat the greatest duelists in our year. That includes Jaden Yuki…and you, Jamie." Bastion nodded deferentially. His time would come soon, but Bastion decided that today was not that day. He still had opportunities to pursue in Ra Yellow that he intended to take full advantage of. For this, Bastion's decision was entirely respectable to me.

"Thank you, Bastion. I won't forget this." I said seriously to him. "It is no matter. I'm sure you would do the same for me." He responded fairly.

"Ah, so good to see the bonds of friendship at work! Anyhow, Jamie, I propose a match against an Obelisk Blue. Are you acquainted with Chazz Princeton?" Crowler asked casually.

 _"Poor Chazz. Crowler's kicking him to the curb just because he lost one game against a Slifer. But this is how the wheel of power turns, I suppose. I won't make the same mistakes he did."_ "I'm afraid not, sir."

"Very good, I was hoping so. If he loses this game, you will take his seat in Obelisk while he will be demoted to Ra Yellow. I was hoping to have the match tomorrow at four in the afternoon, if such a date wouldn't conflict with your class schedule." Crowler said unctuously.

"Actually, I do have a class at four-" I began to speak, but Crowler immediately interjected, "Of course, of course, that is a busy hour. Perhaps seven, then?"

"Yeah, that would be best, I suppose." I said quickly, wanting this conversation to end before some hidden stipulation or obligation made itself known. Such things usually happened in business deals, which is really what this was. Crowler was trying to secure an asset (me) while simultaneously ridding himself of an investment that was no longer profitable (Chazz). By brokering this advancement duel, I expect he wanted to indebt me to him as well.

"Good. Well, that's all I wished to speak to you about, mister Lancaster. Unless there's any other concerns you wished to voice to me, I will see you at seven sharp tomorrow evening." Crowler said professionally.

"None at this time, sir." I responded cordially.

"Very well." Crowler wrung my hand, and I was shocked at the strength of his grip. "Good day, mister Misawa, mister Lancaster."

After Crowler left the Ra dorm, I turned to Bastion with a wry smile. "I didn't think Crowler could cut such an professional figure. Especially with that ridiculous makeup." I joked.

"Don't be fooled, he talks better than he does anything else, dueling included. Still, we would be wise to tread carefully around him. He acts as Sheppard's second-in-command, and rumor has it he's next in line for the Headmaster position if Sheppard leaves." Bastion replied, leaning against a wall in the common room.

"As insightful as ever, I see." I chuckled lightly.

"Of course. And speaking of insight, you should know that Chazz is no pushover, despite what Jaden might tell you. His pride has been gravely wounded since his public match with Jaden, and he has everything to lose in this duel. Never underestimate a cornered animal." Bastion said gravely. "I have a formula to beat his deck, if you're interested."

"I appreciate that offer, but no thank you. I've seen Chazz duel. He has a lot of potential. It's a shame that potential is stunted by his brothers so often. That said, he's not strong enough to beat me yet." I said. When I first watched the series in my previous life, I always found Chazz's story arc fascinating. He could be a powerful ally, once forced to distinguish himself from his brothers.

"I doubt he would appreciate your sympathies." Bastion commented.

"I doubt he would either. But I've often found those who perhaps need sympathy the most rarely appreciate it when it is given." I said, looking away for a moment.

Bastion grunted, not seeming to agree with my statement. "It hardly matters either way. Chazz's defeat is nearly certain. I would predict your chances of defeating him to be around eighty-seven percent."

"Eighty-seven percent? That's not near-certain." I replied.

"Word is he got some new cards recently, so I had to adjust the odds for that. Besides, the sheer randomness of this ridiculous game has to be accounted for."

"Right, wouldn't want to fuck up the statistical probability, would we?" We laughed. I really enjoyed talking with Bastion; his dry humor reminded me of office-mates from my previous life, one in particular. Every day as I walked around and talked to the people that lived in the world of GX, I saw echoes of those I knew from my first life. Not literally of course, but in a more subtle fashion, through body language and tonal inflection. Surreal was the only way to describe it- just thinking about it gave me a headache.

As I walked towards the steps leading to our room, Bastion said, "Oh, by the way, I'm going to paint the room this afternoon with Jaden and Syrus. I'd really appreciate your help, unless you're busy. While the coat dries, I was thinking of crashing at Jaden's tonight, since he has an extra sleeping bag. I'm sure Banner could find one for you if you wanted to tag along."

"Sure." I said nonchalantly, but as I faced away from Bastion, a smirk worked its way up my face as a devious idea blossomed in my mind.

We spent the day having a good old time, splashing as much paint on each other as we did the walls. Jokes were made about "accidentally" dripping paint on the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman or Black Luster Soldier- Envoy of the Beginning cards. And of course, Jaden and Syrus were in awe of Ray Yellow's absolutely basic, functioning cafeteria with its decent food. I really don't get why Jaden ever chose to stay in Slifer Red, but I guess he's just less of a snob than me.

Before we packed it in for the day, I made sure to grab both of my decks from the room- the Goat Control format deck I constructed, and the Melodious Diva deck from my time. It would have to be kept carefully under wraps until the shadow riders attacked- even Bastion had no idea of its existence.

Once it was dark outside, we trekked down to the Slifer Red dorm, a pleasant orange glow emanating from the warm lights inside the house. I was lucky enough that Chumley had a spare sleeping bag. I grinned, as it was extra large and comfy due to it belonging to Chumley. I checked the time- it was nearly ten o' clock, and so it was time to set my plan into motion.

"Shit! Hey guys, I just realized I left my phone at the Ra Yellow dorm. I'll be right back." I grimaced.

"Alright, man. We're just gonna throw on a movie probably. See ya in a bit!" Jaden waved nonchalantly. Bastion, Syrus, and Chumley were busy messing around with the microwave, and so I slipped out quickly. I swiftly walked up the hill towards the Ra barracks, and once the red dorm was out of sight, I broke into a run. My phone was in fact at the Ra Yellow dorm, but it was there entirely by design.

Once I got to the Ra dorm, I slowed my pace. I breathed slowly and deeply, trying not to audibly wheeze after my extended sprint. Wiping sweat from my brow, I approached the building from a corner so that I couldn't easily be seen from my second-floor room window. From there, I swiftly made my way through the main entrance and bound up the stairs. The door to Bastion and I's room was ever-so-slightly ajar. I threw it open and ran in.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I saw that no one was in there. The ivory paint was drying nicely- it really added a calming effect to the room that I sorely needed. The white linen curtains billowed gently in the early autumn breeze, but I did not relax my guard. Cautiously, I waited, standing in front of the closet and out of view of anyone entering the main doorway.

I waited nearly thirty minutes, the suspense wearing out my nerves. Soon enough though, I heard footsteps approach. I heard someone walking in, and at that time I adjusted my posture and pretended to read off my phone.

Chazz Princeton was aghast when he saw me, audibly gasping in shock. This was my first time meeting the arrogant Obelisk- shame it had to be under such circumstances. Chazz forewent his distinguishing Obelisk Blue uniform in favor of a grey hoodie and black sweats that helped to blend in with the night.

"What are you doing here? This isn't your room." I asked in mock surprise, and very real anger.

"Umm…well…" Chazz sputtered, racking his brain for some type of explanation. In the meantime, I advanced upon him, my countenance darkened.

"Wait a second…I think I recognize you from somewhere…" I muttered, and Chazz's eyes widened further.

"I just walked into the wrong room, t-that's all!" Chazz backed up hastily, and soon we were out in the hallway, which was empty due to the lateness of the hour.

"Of course, a mistake anyone could make, especially since the door is open. Except for the fact that you're an Obelisk Blue student, Chazz Princeton." I said with a passionless inflection.

"How did you know I was going to be here!? I saw you leave with Bastion and those Slifer slackers earlier!" He protested loudly, and I nearly broke my façade to laugh- if anyone was around to hear that, Chazz would be in some deep shit. Well, deeper shit than he was already wading in.

"I did. I just forgot my phone back here, and returned to retrieve it. But you…you were here to steal something, weren't you?" I snarled. Chazz's teeth were on edge as he backed up into a wall.

"Do you really think I would be so foolish as to leave my cards unattended where any scumbag like yourself could steal or destroy them? You must think I'm a joke." I placed a hand on Chazz's left shoulder; he had no point of escape to his right, so this movement essentially prevented him from fleeing.

"How dare you! I wasn't planning on stealing anything!" Chazz lied. They always lie, thinking that they can hide behind the slippery nature of words. My grip on his shoulder tightened.

"You lie."

"Don't touch me! If you hurt me, you won't just have Crowler to worry about. My brothers would have your head!" Chazz protested and my knuckles turned white as I clamped down on his shoulder.

"Your brothers would do no such thing. You are a fool to trust them. If you think I'm gonna let you rob me blind, you have another thing coming! But I can't hurt you- this school's policy on fighting would see me into more trouble than you if I punched first. Now be a good boy and go back to bed. You won't be getting anything from me. You've already lost the duel, in your mind. Why else would be resorting to such underhanded treachery? Now get out of here!" I released the youngest Princeton from my grip, and he quickly got out of my arm's range.

"You…you're gonna regret this!" He hissed before running away, no longer concerned with salvaging any of his dignity. I let out a ragged breath. I probably mishandled that. If Chazz is going to be an ally later, I probably shouldn't threaten him like that. But at the same time, right now he was a classic bully- and the only language he would understand is force. But did that justify being so angry with him? It was hard to say for sure.

 _"I hope one day we can say this is water under the bridge."_ I thought.

With that, I turned and went back to the Slifer dorm, thinking of an excuse for my lateness as I went. I decided to tell the boys that I had just got caught in a conversation with some girls, which they believed. Or at least, I think they did- Bastion's sidelong glances at me made me think perhaps otherwise.

Of course, we stayed up late, and I ended up getting only around five hours of sleep. The next day passed by in a blur of tiredness- it was only thanks to Alexis constantly prodding me that I didn't fall asleep during Crowler's class. Whenever my head started to loll, she would step on my feet underneath the desk, causing me to jolt awake like some sort of drinking bird.

At six-thirty, I hustled to the Obelisk Arena, sipping out of a thermos of coffee as I went. The Slifer Boys and Bastion were there waiting for me, and I gave them a cheesy thumbs-up and a grin as I walked up to the spectator seats.

"Are you ready?" Bastion asked facetiously as he grabbed the thermos out of my hand and took a sip, grimacing once he realized it was coffee in there.

"Give that back." I mumbled. "You know it's your fault that I'm so tired today."

"You'll beat him, don't worry. Besides, it's not like you're the one who gets demoted if you lose. Just chill and have fun!" Jaden advised, sitting with his feet up and his arms behind his head.

"Easy for you to say…" I pretended to grumble before shooting a quick grin Jaden's way.

"And where's our favorite Obelisk couple at? I would think this match highly fascinating to them." I asked Syrus, thinking he might have some idea where his brother is, despite their strained relations.

"I don't think Zane and Alexis are actually a couple, Jamie." Sy answered meekly.

"I never said I was looking for Zane and Alexis specifically, but if that's where your mind went…" I ribbed. Syrus actually blushed and stammered at the idea of two people he knows being in a romantic relationship. I swear this kid makes it too easy.

And speaking of romantic relationships, I was surprised to find none other than Erin Reid walking up the steps behind me. I found her swimsuit suited her better than the white and azure Obelisk uniform, but she looked great nonetheless.

"Lancaster, I heard you're getting promoted today." She said in that strong-willed voice. "Wow, you look tired." She added upon seeing the purple bags under my eyes.

"Yeah, I definitely need my beauty sleep. First, I have to win a short duel against Chazz Princeton." I replied, knowing that she enjoyed it when I acted cocky.

She laughed. "Ha! Chazz can be crafty, but I think he's full of hot air. If you want a real challenge, you should duel me sometime!" She had a fire to her, for sure.

"It would be more interesting than this dull affair, there's no doubt about that. Anyway, why don't you introduce yourself, Erin?"

Bastion leaned forward from his seat and shook her tanned hand. "Erin, yes? Charmed. I am Bastion Misawa, Jamie's roommate."

She giggled at Bastion's formal demeanor. Jaden gave her a lazy wave as he reclined in his seat. "Sup, I'm Jaden."

"Ah, you're the one who has been taking down all of the elites in Obelisk Blue over the past month. You must be really strong! We'll have to face off some time!" She clenched her fist excitedly.

"Yeah, no doubt!" Jaden responded with equal enthusiasm. Peas in a pod, those two.

"Uh…hey, what's up, I'm Syrus Truesdale." The kid steeled himself before answering. I was proud of him- he only stuttered once!

The sound of footsteps diverted my attention forward to the arena's opposite entryway. Sure enough, it was Chazz. He walked alone, a grim and somewhat fearful expression betraying him. The cronies that used to orbit him so feverishly were nowhere to be seen. I almost felt bad for him- he started out with everything and now he had nothing to depend on but himself. And yet, this was the only way for Chazz to grow up and make a name for himself. The only way for him to move forward was to lose those things that held him back- at least, this is what I told myself.

"Ah, there he is." I adopted a less jovial expression. I didn't want Chazz to think I was taking any undue pleasure from this. Best to finish this quickly and definitively. I loped down the stairway, activating my duel disk as I went.

"Let's get this over with, Lancaster." Chazz growled.

 _"Spoken like a man headed to the gallows."_ I thought humorlessly. "Come, then. I have no interest in prolonging this." I declared. I forewent my Ra Yellow uniform in favor of a casual light blue tee shirt with khaki pants. I figured wearing the Ra colors would only serve to denigrate Chazz further. Meanwhile, he was wearing his Obelisk uniform, which only made sense as he would have no cause to wear it in the future.

Crowler arrived shortly thereafter, surprised to see Chazz and I already primed to duel. "It's good to see you're both punctual, at least. In that case, we will begin. Jamie Lancaster and Chazz Princeton, this match will serve as an official examination for you both. The victor of this match will be lodged henceforth in the Obelisk Blue men's dorm, while the loser shall be lodged in Ra Yellow. All standard regulations and rules apply. Are you both ready to begin?"

"Yes." Chazz and I said simultaneously.

"In that case, the game shall begin with a roshambo to determine turn order." Crowler needlessly reminded us of the rules. Take notes, Zane! Chazz and I strode to the center of the arena to throw down some rock-paper-scissors. Chazz had paper, and I rock, so he chose to go first. He avoided eye contact with me at seemingly all costs, his coal grey irises darting everywhere to avoid my placid gaze.

We went back to our respective sides and Chazz drew his first card. I glanced over to see that Erin had taken a seat next to Syrus, which seemed to make the little guy uncomfortable. I chuckled before looking at my opening hand. Unless Chazz made any notable changes to his strategy from canon, I should be just fine.

"I summon **Cthonian Soldier (1200/1000)** in attack mode!" A vicious-looking knight in blue-grey armor took the field in a burst of violet flame. "Next, I'll set a card an end my turn. Now do your worst!" Chazz finished.

"I'll end this quickly, Chazz. I summon **Blade Knight (1600/1000)**!" My trusty knight appeared, his gleaming armor a sharp contrast to Chazz's demonic soldier. "Next, I'll set three cards. Now that I have only one card in hand, my knight gains 400 attack points! Attack his monster now!"

Unsheathing his sword, the shining knight leapt forward and cleaved through Chazz's monster in one stroke. Chazz flinched before smirking slightly. "When my monster is destroyed in battle, you take the same amount of damage I do!" A vortex of purple fire whipped up in the center of the field, tendrils of flame lashing at us both. **(Jamie 3200/Chazz 3200)**

I noticed a smirk creep up Chazz's visage. He seemed to think I was playing into his hand. Oh, I only felt pity for him. "Shoot, looks like you got me there. Well, I guess I'll just end my turn then, buddy." I smirked right back.

Chazz's lips curled downwards into a sneer once more. "Fine, then! You're going to regret looking down on me! All of you are going to regret looking down on me, you hear?! I will not stand for this!"

Our small audience, most of whom were jovial before, grew serious at Chazz's rage-induced proclamation. I didn't want to enrage him further, so I stayed silent as Chazz made his move.

"Draw! Activate reverse card, **Call of the Haunted**! This trap allows me to summon back my Cthonian Soldier from the graveyard!" I grimaced, knowing what he was about to do.

"Next, I'll chain **Inferno Reckless Summon** , allowing me to summon two extra copies of my soldier from my deck! You're finished!" Chazz's ranks were bolstered as he now held three copies of his soldier on the field. My expression remained stony as he did this, and I suddenly realized I was acting a lot like Zane did during his match against me. I didn't even realize it, but once I did, it made me uncomfortable.

 _"It really is like a wheel…"_

"Next, I'll activate the equip spell **Cthonian Alliance**! This allows me to boost one of my soldier's attack points by 800 for every monster on the field with the same name. This gives one of my soldiers an attack boost to the tune of 2400!" One of Chazz's troops grew exponentially large, dwarfing everything else in the arena. Its head nearly scraped the ceiling.

"Well, if Jamie doesn't have any traps, it's over. That thing has 3600 attack points, and he has two more soldiers waiting in the wings!" Jaden noted, hoping this wasn't the case.

"He set three. Unless he bricked his opening hand, it's not over." Erin rebuked.

"Oh, it's over, believe me." Bastion interjected, a small smile on his face.

"Why's that?" Erin challenged.

"Because something came in the mail today…a gift I gave Jamie for this duel." Bastion replied cryptically.

"Cthonian Soldier, destroy his Blade Knight now!" Chazz thrust his hand forward, and his soldier brought his guillotine-sized blade down on my lowly knight.

'That's game. I activate **Magic Cylinder**." My voice was like a death knell to poor Chazz, whose face quickly deflated the moment I sprung my trap card on him. Two Magic Cylinders were expensive, to be sure, but an invaluable asset in this meta. I could hear the gasps from my friends and Crowler as Chazz's own soldier struck him down in one fell swoop. **(Chazz 0/Jamie 3200)**

Chazz's eyes were dull from despair as he fell limply to his knees. "No…not like this…HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO ME?!" He threw his head to sky and wailed.

Bastion, Chumley, and Erin could scarcely stop cheering, but I noticed Jaden and Syrus looking over at Chazz with curious expressions. They seemed to feel sorry for him, which I could understand, somewhat. Mainly, I was pretty pleased that this duel was done with. _"Not a very good indicator of skill, but it gets the job done. I suppose this is why the official life point total is 8000."_ I thought.

Crowler's jaw was fixatedly dropped as I nonchalantly shuffled my cards back into my deck. I simply looked at the professor, waiting for him to speak first. "Erm, very well…I didn't expect that, to say the least, young master Jamie…"

I simply continued to gaze at him, and it took everything I had not to burst out laughing. Crowler cleared his throat before continuing, "I, doctor Vellian Crowler, do declare Jamie Lancaster the victor of this promotion exam. Henceforth, he shall be lodged in Obelisk Blue, and wear its colors. Chazz Princeton will henceforth be demoted to Ra Yellow, and he will wear that rank accordingly."

I heard clapping, and I turned to see them all clapping. My friends! "Way to go, Jamie!" "You destroyed him, dude!" They all wore smiles on their faces and pride in their eyes, and I knew in this moment that this second shot at life was worth it. This was real joy…the joy of achieving a long-awaited goal. I felt invincible.

"No…I won't be a Ra!" Chazz roared before turning and outright running from the arena. If I didn't know him, I would think him pathetic, a sore loser. However, I knew his situation, and I knew that striking him down like this would bring him a lot of pain in the short term. But he needed that pain to grow, otherwise he would remain the same old asshole he was at the beginning of the series until the day he died. I looked after him, both strict and wistful as I saw him go.

"Farewell, Chazz. Hopefully when we meet each other again, you'll be a better man, and I can give you a worthy fight." I muttered, no one hearing those words.

"Erm…I'll handle him later, mister Lancaster. Congratulations on a swift victory. I am certainly excited to see what you can contribute to the house of Obelisk. Sometime tomorrow, you'll want to stop by the registrar's office to file out some paperwork regarding your lodgings. A student volunteer moving crew will come by on Thursday or Friday to move you in, once Chazz has been evicted. As I am your head of house, I will meet with you later this week to discuss policy." Crowler said unctuously. Part of me wished that he hated me like he did Jaden- anything was better than this fake flattery. Still, I was very pleased that I had finally made to Obelisk. I had a feeling that my life was about to get a lot busier.

"Of course, Professor. I look forward to it." I replied back politely. He nodded before quickly exiting the arena. Glad that Crowler was gone, I turned around only to get mobbed by my friends.

"That was something else! I've never seen such a quick defeat before! Especially against an Obelisk Blue! You're really something, Jamie!" Jaden praised, giving me a one-armed hug.

"I know which card to watch out for when we duel…that was really quite funny." Bastion acknowledged with a cheeky grin.

"Nice moves, dude!" Chumley laughed. "Good job!" said Syrus. I felt so light and happy at their praise, it was hard to describe.

But it was Erin who captured my attention as her deep blue eyes practically sucked my green ones in. "I'm glad you didn't prolong this…and yet, I was sad to see it end. I'll show you a real duel soon." She laughed, brushing my arm. Would you look at that, I think she was trying to fluster me!

"I would love to see that." I said, driving my voice as low as it could go. She seemed taken aback, yet pleased by that response, giggling a little.

"C'mon, guys! Let's go grab some grub!" Jaden exclaimed boisterously, throwing his tanned fist in the air. We all cheered and made for the Obelisk Blue dining center.

We hung out for a while, but eventually we turned in early due to us all having classes in the morning. At seven the next morning, Bastion and I woke to get ready for the day. It would be the last time I would sleep in the Ra Yellow dorm for the forseeable future.

I would miss having Bastion as a roommate. Even though we only lived together for six weeks, he had quickly become a steadfast and loyal friend- I couldn't ask for a better one. Still, having my own room would be nice, and the Obelisk living arrangements were lavish to say the least. It was also a better position to operate in with regards to the coming threats. I would not let that damned Society of Light corrupt the Obelisk dorm as they did in canon- that's a promise. I fondly looked around the sparsely-decorated dorm room, both glad to move on and wistful to say goodbye. "That new coat of paint looks nice." I said groggily as I stretched.

Bastion looked around, as if noticing it for the first time. "Yes, I suppose it does." He glanced at me. "Does it feel strange, moving on so soon?"

"No," I answer, "it feels right, somehow."

"Good." Bastion nodded. "I'm sure you'll like it there. What time are you moving in?"

"Tonight around seven." I answered. "I'll get Jaden and the rest to come help you around then." Bastion offered. "Thank you, man." I said before heading off to class as if it was a regular day. _"And the show goes on."_ That grin came back, and I had to fight to keep it down.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **Not a very long duel, eh? And yet, it will have immense consequences for the plot. Chazz won't forget this any time soon. Big plans for Chazz down the road- I plan to employ more of his manga characterization than his anime portrayal, although there will be some elements from there as well. He certainly won't be a comic relief whipping boy in this fic, as much as this rather swift defeat may imply.**

 **Thanks to mobylickseven for pointing out some duel writing errors in the last chapter, I will edit that chapter soon and fix them.**

 **After some deliberation, I also introduced a second OC in the form of Erin Reid. I thought it would be a good idea to flesh out the female cast, and I plan to develop her as a sort of foil to Alexis, Jaden, and Jamie in certain respects. She is clearly romantically interested in Jamie...we shall soon see what becomes of that. I know that female characters in this franchise tend to beat around the bush when it comes to romantic feelings (Aki...) but Erin is a straightforward , even somewhat fierce girl who isn't afraid to go after what she wants, which is an essential trait in an athlete. Erin will be a somewhat major character in the narrative, but she will not eclipse or replace the main canon characters in any way. I aim for her to be a distinct, fully realized character with strengths and flaws. Just as I'm trying to avoid having Jamie be a Sue, I don't want to write Erin as simply "a girl" put in for shipping/romantic purposes. In future chapters, I will be introducing one more OC of comparable importance to the plot before stopping. No need to crowd the cast- I hope I'm doing a good job balancing things so far. I'm really hoping for this story to have its own unique flavor, if that makes any sense.**

 **Anyways, excuse my ramblings. Hope you all have a good one. Next chapter we will see Jamie's initiation into Obelisk Blue.**


	5. Bad News Bears

Chapter 5: Bad News Bears

I shrugged, easing my way into my new Obelisk Blue uniform. I chose to keep the solid blue as the main color of the coat while keeping white limited to the accents. I had the coattails removed, finding them needlessly cumbersome. Also, I didn't care to jack Zane's style. _"I'm blue, da ba dee da ba dee…"_ I hum as I finish tying my boots.

Everything was moved in thanks to the student-hired volunteer moving crew, as well as Bastion, Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley. I wanted to treat the guys to something, but I had no money, and they needed nothing extra from me anyhow, so I simply thanked them as best I could. I would make it up to them sometime.

The room was absolutely gorgeous. Large picture windows on the west wall allowed for a calming flood of natural light to enter the room- I would have little need for the glass chandelier dangling from the ceiling until nightfall. I wouldn't be bothered by the sunrise when I woke, but I would be able to enjoy a nice view of the sunset if I so chose.

The bed was entirely too large and comfortable for one person, but that was no problem at all in my opinion. My clothes fit into the spacious dressers with plenty of room to spare, and I had my own bathroom! I think I might have died and fucked right off to heaven! Any regret I had about defeating Chazz the way I did evaporated when I saw this bathroom. I mean we're talking brass towel racks here people!

After the boys left, I had half a mind to call Alexis over right now to admire these brass towel racks and maybe make out with her. Wait, did I say that part out loud? Now I was sure I was giving myself too much credit when it came to the ladies.

Luckily, there was no need for me to pick up the phone at all. A ring on my doorbell (I have a doorbell?!) signaled the arrival of a visitor. I opened the door to find Alexis standing there in a fetching black t-shirt with white shorts. Her hair was done up in a ponytail, which I thought looked very good on her, although she had the type of hair that worked in any style.

"Well, well, I see you're already moved in, and in your new uniform no less! Have you moved from the mirror since you put it on?" She smirked wickedly.

"You laugh, but you know I look damn good in this ensemble." I chuckle.

"Well, it's a step up from that dreadful yellow, at least. May I come inside?" Alexis asked, and I just now noticed she was holding something in her hands.

"By all means." I waved her in, keeping my eyes trained on her hands. It appeared she was carrying a small black box. Was she about to pop the question? I mean I know I'm a catch, but this is a bit much!

"How much did the ring cost you?" I asked, and we both laughed.

She plopped down onto the bed, sitting at the mattresses' edge with her legs crossed. "I actually got a good deal on a secret rare Ring of Destruction on eBay, only twenty dollars for a slightly used copy. You can really save a lot of money if you don't mind a bit of damage on the cards. I assume that's what you mean?"

I nodded facetiously. "More useful than a diamond if you ask me. Really, what's in the box?"

She opened it deftly. "It's a customary gift whenever a new member joins the ranks of Obelisk. A rare card that I thought would fit your deck just right. Zane and I knew just what to get you."

No way. It was an Ultra Rare copy of Chaos Sorcerer, a card I was sorely missing in my deck. It was summoned in the same way as Black Luster Soldier- a light monster and a dark monster had to be banished from grave. Chaos Sorcerer had a decent 2300 attack stat, but his real power shone through in his effect, which allowed me to banish a face-up monster at the cost of not being able to attack that turn.

"Near mint, as well…this must have cost a pretty penny, Alexis. Thank you!" I hugged her, truly appreciative.

"Well, the card shop gave us a pretty good deal…but I wouldn't thank me yet."

I felt a sudden lurch in the pit of my stomach. I let go of her suddenly. "Oh."

She nodded knowingly. "I'm glad this won't come as an undue shock to you. Come to the lake at one in the morning sharp. There are some welcoming traditions in Obelisk Blue that all new members go through. Don't bring anything else but your deck and some swimming trunks."

Memories of college came rushing back. I chuckled, remembering initiation week at the fraternity I rushed. I never thought I would need a deck of Yugioh cards at a hazing ritual, but this is the world we live in. Or rather, the world I live in.

"In that case, I'll be ready." Was all I replied with. I would hate for the sweet girl to twist my words against me later during this ritual.

"Thanks for being such a good sport. Believe me, you're getting off easy. I had to do this during my very first night here." She said, getting real with me for a second.

"I'd like to sympathize, but I really can't until I know exactly what 'this' is." I dryly replied.

She tilted her head in understanding. "Bastion's rationality rubbed off on you, I think. But I'm glad to have you in Obelisk, Jamie. I know the circumstances we've met under have been weird, but you seem like a decent guy."

I looked at her, my bright green eyes meeting her hazel ones. I didn't look away until she did first. "Thanks. I agree, things have been a bit strange. I feel like I hardly know ya, to be honest."

"I'd be happy to show you around the commons sometime."

"Tomorrow, then, after I catch up on sleep. We'll get food or something afterwards." I decided to capitalize on the opportunity she so graciously offered. I knew that unless I gave a specific date, the plans would inevitably fall through.

She stood, stretching her back. "Sounds good, Jamie. Do try to have fun tonight. Just remember we're all glad you're here." Oddly enough, I found her constant reassurances more intimidating than anything, or least I would have if I were the green boy she thinks I am.

"Of course. I'll see you soon, Alexis."

Later that night, I slept in a hoodie and sweatpants, ready to jump out of bed at a moment's notice. Then, at exactly one in the morning, I heard numerous footsteps outside my door. They tried to be stealthy, but there were far too many people out there to sneak around effectively. Still, I kept my eyes shut, not wanting to spoil the fun.

Dozens of people starting yelling, causing me to jump out of my bed and stand at full attention. The door was unlocked- one of those damn resident assistants must have had a master key! At the front of the pack was Zane, of fucking course.

"C'mon freshie, you owe me five goddamn laps around the lake now!" He shouted, a sharp departure from his usually stoic voice. I was frozen for a moment, hardly believing this was real, until he yelled, "NOW!"

That had me moving real quick.

It wasn't anything too bad, compared to my first time doing this type of thing in college. For the first leg of the night, I had to undergo physical trials as if we were in the army. This was considered "payment" for that new Chaos Sorcerer my so-called friends gifted me. I had to run five miles around the lake while the men and women of Obelisk Blue shouted various obscenities at me before we entered what was known as the "gauntlet".

Basically, I had to duel and beat five Obelisks in a row. If it any point I lost, my count would be reset, so a 5-0 record was necessary. I was huffing and panting at this point, sweat stinging my eyes as my brown bangs hung limply over my forehead. I discarded the hoodie halfway through the run, and I could tell that despite their affected attitudes, some of the girls liked what they saw. A small comfort, of course.

After I finished the run, my duel disk and deck were roughly shoved into my hands by a random student. Thank Ra they didn't find my Melodious Diva deck from 2016. That would have been more than a little awkward and difficult to explain.

The moon was full, and cast a pale blue hue over everything in sight. The trees, the water, and those uniforms my new floormates wore. This singular color, combined with my weariness, made this whole affair seem surreal, like a reflection in water.

My brain wasn't working- time to rely on instinct. The first two Obelisks went down in a matter of turns, and I nearly thought I was in the clear. I could've sworn I recognized one of the Obelisks- a guy with long hair and glasses- but in my haste, I didn't figure out who it was. Soon enough, however, I got handily defeated by a guy playing Chain Burn. The only way I could have been angrier would be if he was playing Exodia. Now that's some real cancer. I'll admit it- I was cheering for Weevil when he threw those damn cards overboard! Clearly Yugi didn't need them to win anyways, so there! Fight me!

I had to make use of every tool in my arsenal to keep up with the blue duelists, and I bluffed more than once. The anime often made Obelisk Blue duelists out to be rich snobs who only got in the dorm due to their parent's money and connections. While there were students like that to be sure, most of these people were good duelists in their own right and deserved their rank.

By the time I had managed to win four games in a row, I was on my twelfth game. At this point, I wasn't sure if I was going to even win the last game, having lost twice at this point. Perhaps I would simply stay here forever, eternally dueling the students of Obelisk Blue as the sun rose and fell around us. Suddenly, I felt a new respect for Syrus, who surely had to go through this in canon when he was promoted to Obelisk Blue in season 3.

Who would be my last opponent? If it was Zane, I think I legitimately would have thrown a temper tantrum. To my shock, however, I saw the braided brown hair, the white uniform on tanned skin. It was Erin.

"Ooh, good run, Jaime. Sad that it's gotta end here, you were doing so well." She said as she fastened her duel disk to her arm.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I really hope you suck at this game." I wheeze.

"Well, hope's a four letter word." Erin replied, drawing chuckles from the onlookers.

"In that case, I think I should stop hoping and start doing!" I rip the first card from the top of my deck, my teeth bared. "Let's duel!"

"I've been looking forward to this, Lancaster!" She replied with equal ferocity. "Show me that you are worthy of being called an Obelisk Blue!"

"Fine! I summon **Vorse Raider (1900/1200)** in attack mode!" A muscular orc clad in green armor leapt onto the field, a malicious expression on its ugly face.

"Next, I'll play two face-downs and end my turn." I finished. My monster was strong, and my traps should protect him well. If I can get some momentum, I can finish this duel before she gets her strategy together. I wanted nothing more than to close my tired eyes at this point, but I had no intention of wimping out front of the entire dorm.

"Very well…" Erin, on the other hand, looked like she was having the time of her life. What deck will she play? I figure it's something water-related, what with her being a surfer, but that would be a bit on the nose, cliche even. She could be playing anything. "It's time to show you what some real monsters can do." She said. Her attitude reminded me of an even more aggressive Jaden.

"I activate the field spell **A Legendary Ocean**!" she declared as holographic water flooded the grass, seemingly submerging us to our ankles. It seems my initial assumption was correct. I didn't want to judge a book by its cover, but then again, that's why books have covers.

"As I'm sure you know, this field spell gives all water monsters two hundred extra attack and defense points. It also lowers the levels of all water monsters in our hands by one. Because of this, I can normal summon **Terrorking Salmon (2600/1000)** in attack mode without a sacrifice!" A vicious-looking fish jumped out of the water, settling on the surface as it stared down my Vorse Raider hatefully.

"I don't like those traps…so I'll set a face-down and end my turn." She finished. What would make this match difficult for me was the fact that Erin had seen my deck in action before, however briefly. She knew that I had a proclivity for traps and defensive play. Suddenly, I had a really bad feeling about her face-down card.

"Draw! During my standby phase, I activate one of my trap cards, **Compulsory Evacuation Device**! This will let me send a monster on the field back to its owner's hand. I choose your salmon!" I declared, desperately hoping this would go through.

Erin smirked. "Not this time, Jamie. I chain my trap card, **Royal Decree**! While this face-up card is on the field, the effects of all other trap cards on the field are negated!"

I gaped, sending my now-useless trap to the grave. "Oh, fuck me."

"So direct…I like that. This isn't the time or the place, though. You were fishing when I first met you, but right now I'd wager you look more like a landed fish! Now, you can continue your turn." Erin quipped. Ugh, why are all these Obelisk Blues so damn witty? Of course, I can't complain too much at risk of looking like a hypocrite.

"I don't need trap cards to win! You're about to find out what true power really is! I activate **Foolish Burial** , letting me send a monster from my deck to the graveyard." I sent Airknight Parsath, wanting a light monster in grave as soon as possible.

"Next, I'll set a monster and switch Vorse Raider to defense mode. That ends my turn." This is really bad. Her monsters were far too powerful for me to fight head-on. I was growing of tired of relying solely on defense to win games- it was giving me a bit of a reputation. Still, it was my only choice in most cases.

"Just hiding again, eh? I thought you had more guts than that, Jamie! I summon **Amphibious Bugroth MK-3 (1700/700)**!" An orange-painted submarine with green jet boosters surfaced above the water.

"As long as my field spell is around, this monster can attack you directly!" The vessel carved through the water, painlessly passing through me. She must have put in her deck to counter my monsters that cannot be destroyed by battle. This situation was getting worse by the second **. (Jamie 2300/Erin 4000)**

"Now, my Terrorking Salmon will destroy your Vorse Raider!" The giant fish snapped up my orc effortlessly, leaving only my set monster on my side of the field. "That ends my turn."

It was probably around three in the morning now, and I could tell that Erin was at least beginning to feel a little sleepy. That's probably why she's been acting so excited- to ward off fatigue. If I could pressure her into making a mistake, I could take this game. First, I need to destroy that Bugroth submarine, and this draw was the best thing I could've asked for!

"I activate **Lightning Vortex**! By discarding a card from my hand, I can destroy all monsters on your side of the field. I don't know about, but I'm feeling like some well-done char-broiled salmon, how about you?!" I actually cackle as her monsters are all zapped with lightning from the heavens above.

"And since I discarded **Sinister Serpent (300/200)** , it returns to my hand immediately!" Unfortunately, the only other card left in my hand wouldn't be good to mount an assault with at the time, so I was forced to end my turn. Luckily, I still had a monster in defense mode on the field, and I couldn't wait for her to see what it was.

"Lucky draws…it won't save you for long. I summon **Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness** ( **2000/1700** after Legendary Ocean boost) in attack mode!" A fearsome warrior clad in indigo-blue armor rose from the water, a golden pike in his hand. "Now, attack his defensive monster!"

The warrior loosed his pike, only for it to sink harmlessly through my favorite pink marshmallow. "Bad luck, Erin. I'm sure you're familiar with what Marshmallon can do at this point." I smiled. She grimaced as she was forced to pay 1000 life points to the piper. **(Jamie 2300/Erin 3000)**

"That's just fine, Jamie. I figure you'd draw that little number sooner or later. You already know I have ways of working past your legendary defenses." She leaned back, seeming content with how things were going.

"Are my defenses considered legendary already? High praise." I replied cheekily.

"Only because of cheap they are. Most duelists are used to actually fighting their opponent head-on, rather than working past layers and layers of traps. Of course, I don't have that problem." She explained. Oh for Ra's sake, would these people ever shut up about my "cheap tactics"? It's a card game!

"No, I suppose you don't. You do, however, have this to worry about. I activate **Pot** **of Greed**!" It's not banned yet, merely limited to one. Yeah, it's that bad. The card was an absolute staple and there was a reason it would never come off the banlist once it was on there. It's hard to believe the lengths which players would go to draw two cards later on, just look at Pot of Desires for proof!

"Next, I'll play **Brain Control**! By paying 800 life points, I can take control of one of your monsters until the end of this turn. That means your Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness serves me now!" The crowd on onlookers booed, finding this to be a dishonorable tactic. Little did they know that dishonorable was my middle name. Yep, Jamie Dishonorable Lancaster was my full legal name. Funny how my namesake, Jaime Lannister, was also maligned by the public for being a man without honor. Unlike him, I planned to keep my so-called dirty tactics confined to the dueling fields **. (Jamie 1500/Erin 3000)**

The warrior clutched his head, seemingly in agony as he struggled against my mind control. Unfortunately, his attempt to break free was in vain. Soon enough, he went limp and hovered over to my side of the field, an unwitting accomplice to my master plan.

"Don't worry, you would get him back at the end of the turn if I were foolish enough to actually keep him for that long. No, I sacrifice your monster to summon one of my own! Come out, **Vampire Lord (2000/1500)**!"

In a pillar of purple flame, a pale blue-haired man appeared, his features angular and effeminate. His cape fluttered in the night, black on black. "He may not look strong, but his effect more than makes up for it! Now, he'll attack you directly!"

Opening his cape, my vampire let loose a swarm of bats to harass my opponent. Erin braced herself for their arrival, finding their appearance hideous. **(Jamie 1500/Erin 1000)**

"Now, my monster's effect activates! When he inflicts battle damage to you, I can declare one type of card, and you have to send one card of that type from your deck to your graveyard!" I paused, contemplating for a moment. Since she was running Royal Decree, I doubted she ran any other trap cards in her deck, so choosing that would be foolish. Choosing a monster could work, but she could have the means to resurrect it from the grave. A spell would be best in this instance, since spells generally have less utility in the graveyard than monsters.

"Send a spell." I said shortly. She nodded, recognizing that this was the wisest choice. She sent some inconsequential spell, I think it might have been a copy of Terraforming.

"Not only does Jamie have the life lead, but he has some good field presence going on as well. The Vampire Lord is good for attacking while he has the Marshmallon to keep his life points safe. Good on him. I'm surprised he can strategize this well while sleep-deprived." Alexis praised. She sat by the lake's edge with Zane, apart from the rest of the Obelisk Blue students.

"It is not as it seems. The pieces of Erin's strategy are all in place, Jamie just doesn't see them quite yet." Zane pointed out.

"What do you mean, Zane?"

"She has more cards in hand, and that field spell is going to come in handy very soon."

I heard Alexis and Zane talking about something, but I paid no heed. My position was far more precarious than it looked. I only hoped she didn't have the resources to take me down. This game was already entering its final stages.

"Nice move. Vampire Lord's a powerful card, but I've got plenty of stamina left." I saw a drop of sweat on Erin's tanned brow. The pressure was on now. I forced myself now to look at her, because how was I supposed to keep a cool head when she was out here looking like that? Grimacing, I readied myself for her move.

"I play **Card of Sanctity** , allowing us to each draw until we have six cards in hand." A crafty move- she drew more off the card's effect than I did. I summon **Mother Grizzly (1400/1000)** in attack mode!" A blue-furred grizzly bear surfaced from the water. Looks like Card of Sanctity has its anime effect- good to know.

Fun fact: I've always been a bit scared of bears. Maybe it's because they can rip arms from sockets the same way an ordinary person pulls the leaves off of a strawberry. Perhaps it's their surprising speed, or maybe it's just their size. For some reason, the Mother Grizzly here scared me more than the fantastical dragons and demons otherwise seen in this game. Although my wide eyes probably gave me away, I otherwise stood stoic in the face of this oddly terrifying creature.

"Now, I'll sacrifice my Mother Grizzly to call forth my strongest monster- **Levia Dragon Daedalus (2800/2100** after Legendary Ocean boost)!" She raised one hand to the sky, her ponytail coming undone from the sudden updraft of wind that heralded the approach of her great leviathan. I had to admit, she looked better with her hair down. Of course, how Erin wore her hair was the least of my concerns in the present moment.

From the waves erupted the winding body of the serpent, its blue scales shining in the moonlight. Roaring, its yellow eyes, along with the cobalt gem on its forehead, glowed with unbridled power. Frankly, I was less scared of it than I was the bear.

"You try to control the pace of the fight through your defense. You're as predictable as a rock, Jamie! That makes you ill-equipped to handle my cards. Water can flow or drip or crash, and I control the water. Uncertainty makes you uncomfortable- I thrive in it!" She shouted as the water whipped around her and her monster coiled in the air.

"Ocean man, take me by the hand, lead me to the land, that you understand…" I found myself humming that stupid song under my breath. Shaking my head, I looked at my cards once more.

Oh, thank Ra she played Card of Sanctity. I couldn't believe that the card kept its anime effect rather than its beyond terrible real life effect. That card's a bit of a double-edged sword if your opponent is an enterprising bastard like myself. We were both dueling on a tightrope in a hurricane right now, and someone was about to fall into the drink. In such a situation, the most balanced and centered individual was the one who stayed on the tightrope the longest. Before long, Erin would learn the value of a conservative strategy.

"Your night is far from over, Jamie! Now, I activate my dragon's effect! By sending A Legendary Ocean from the field to the graveyard, I can destroy all other cards on the field!" From behind her, a wall of water rose twenty feet high. I knew it was a hologram, but it was still an imposing image. The wave crashed over the field, destroying her Royal Decree, my Vampire Lord, my Marshmallon, and the face-down card I had set earlier. Although I was obviously untouched by the holographic water, the wind whipped up by the attack blew my hair up to the point that I looked like a bargain-bin, brown-haired Super Saiyan. The water drained from the field, and the green grass we were standing on was once again visible.

Suddenly, Erin's dragon rapidly grew smaller in size, nearly half of its original proportions. "What's this?!" She questioned, suddenly caught off guard.

"I chained my face-down card to your dragon's effect- the quick-play spell Shrink. Now, until the end of the turn, your monster's attack and defense points are halved." Now, the creature could only hit me for 1300, meaning I would live to see another turn.

"You've delayed the inevitable, Jamie. Don't think you've seen the last of me once I win, either! After you beat the next four Obelisks, I'll be waiting to knock you on your ass again and again!" She declared as bombastically as any anime villain. I nearly laughed, knowing that this behavior was on some level a performance, a farce. Although maybe it wasn't and underneath Erin Reid's laid-back surfer persona was this gregarious figure who enjoyed nothing more putting new Obelisks through their paces. Perhaps this was therapy to her- I should really be charging for this!

"I get the feeling you would enjoy that." I replied. Her cheeks flushed, but she was otherwise undeterred.

"You'll find out. Levia-Dragon Daedalus, attack him directly!" She roared as her monster began charging a blue-white beam of energy in its mouth. Wow, nearly forgot about him. The dragon unleashed its beam attack, the raw stream of energy inexorably blasting towards me.I winced as the reduced beam struck me in the chest. With the dragon's attack points at 1300, I was barely holding on **. (Jamie 200/Erin 1000)**

"Unless you happen to run a burn spell in your deck, I think you might have to end your turn." I said, and she seemed to return to herself.

She said nothing to that, instead setting two face-down cards and ending her turn. Time for a miraculous comeback- now I know I live in an anime! The crowd whooped and hollered- because they were against or because they supported me, I would never be sure.

"Let's go! During my standby phase, my Vampire Lord is resurrected since he was destroyed by a card effect." Another tower of violet fire signaled the return of my monster. For some reason, the dapper vampire was holding a crimson rose between his long fingers. After a whiff, he nonchalantly threw the flower to the wind. Crazy how much detail they put into these holograms.

Oh boy, now that her Royal Decree was gone, my traps could coming back with a vengeance. Luckily, there would be no need for them this time, unless something went south again. The look of trepidation on Erin's normally playful, confident face was evidence enough that this game was nearly in hand.

"I hate to end this match so soon, but I think it's fitting that I end this with the card you guys gave me! By banishing Marshmallon and Vorse Raider to call forth **Chaos Sorcerer (2300/2000)**!" The warlock arrived in a blinding vortex of white light and smoky dark energy, wearing black and purple wizard's robes. In one had, that bright white power shone. In the other, dark indigo flames crackled intensely.

The noise from the crowd was building into a furor, like water coming to boil. I don't think Erin actually heard any of my words there, and I doubted I could hear her anymore. From the movement of her lips though, I could infer that she was less than pleased. Clearly she hated losing, which I could relate to. Hell, she might actually be taking this better than I would. We all have our flaws, I suppose.

"Now, my Chaos Sorcerer will use his effect to banish your oh-so-mighty dragon into the void!" Once again, an overpowered monster effect wins the day over reliance on a boss monster! Maybe this isn't so different from 2016 after all! I couldn't help but chuckle as her dragon's physical body was banished to the shadow realm. The only drawback was that my sorcerer couldn't attack this turn, but that hardly mattered when I had a Vampire Lord ready and willing to conquer his next victim. His fingers were already alight with the blue flame, which I meant I was going to actually sleep soon! Yay!

"Attack!" Vampire Lord leapt forth and sliced Erin one last time, ending the match once and for all **(Jamie 200/Erin 0).** That game could've gone either way. Frankly, it was pure luck that I drew the cards I needed when she played the card that let me draw six from my deck. Still, these idiots- I mean these elite duelists would erroneously think that I was somehow superior for beating Erin in one duel. The fact that I didn't use my Black Luster Soldier would be some sort of sign I was holding back, to be sure. Never mind that I hadn't drawn the card all duel. Man, this was a sweet gig! The only problem was that I felt like I was about to pass out. I dropped to one knee, taking deep breaths in an attempt to keep myself awake.

My thoughts were halted, however, when I suddenly heard the crowd of Obelisk Blues fall silent. They all looked on at Zane Truesdale, whose mere motion of standing was enough to stay their tongues. Even Erin looked deferentially towards him. I felt like I was in a nature documentary, watching the lions give way to the alpha of the pack.

"That makes five victories. Now we have ascertained that Jamie Lancaster has all of the qualities needed to be a member of Obelisk Blue." Zane spoke emotionlessly, the crowd hanging on his every word. "From this moment on, he is our brother, a fellow elite. When Jamie Lancaster requires help, he many come to us. Likewise, when a fellow Obelisk needs help, he will come to their aid. He is free to sleep in our quarters and use our facilities as he sees fit. Most of all, he will wear our colors with pride and his behavior will befit and reflect well upon his station. Am I clear?"

The rest of the pack gave varying noises of assent. This really was too much. This was a card game, not the bloody marines! And yet, something in me I thought long lost stirred at this speech. I wanted to prove that I was worthy of wearing the Obelisk coat. I had thought my heart long since scabbed over to displays such as these, but I was wrong. I had no idea that this sort of thing happened to Obelisk initiates. It reignited my curiosity about what else existed in this world that I didn't see on screen.

Suddenly, Zane's grim expression dropped, replaced with a rare smile. "With that said, let's all get some sleep. We party this weekend. Good night to all."

With that, the crowd dispersed, eager to rest. I nodded and slowly rose to my feet, looking forward to a proper bout of sleep in that soft new bed. Before I could get going, however, my vision was obscured as I felt my shirt being thrown in my face. Frankly, I would've forgot if whoever just threw it at me hadn't done so.

Peeling it off my face and donning it once again, I noticed that it was Erin who had helped me. She stood close to me, her arms behind her back and an "innocent" smile on her face.

"Wouldn't want you to forget that…" She trailed off. I didn't quite know what to say to that, so I just chuckled.

"That was a fun duel…although I don't think I'm going to run Card of Sanctity anymore." She sighed, brushing against my shoulder.

"Honestly, that's probably a good idea. Still, you're really good, one of the best I've ever faced. Who knows how round two would go down?" I say, hoping that she doesn't take it as cheap praise.

"We'll find out soon. For now, I need to get to sleep. This little sojourn means I'm gonna have to train later in the day. Normally I like to get up with the sun." She shrugs.

"I know, it's always fun to work out in the morning. I think a run tomorrow is just what the doctor ordered!" I reply with what little enthusiasm I can muster.

"Maybe I'll join you sometime…" And suddenly I feel her grab the front of my shirt and lean in, her soft lips pressed against my cheek for an impossibly long moment. Funny thing is I was so tired that I barely registered what she was doing at first. I wanted to kiss her back for a second, but she pulled away.

"See you later, cutie…welcome to Obelisk Blue." In my daze, I barely heard her words as she walked off to the girl's dorm. The smile never left my face, even as I finally made it back to my new room and my head hit the pillow.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **With that, Jamie is now officially an Obelisk Blue. All sorts of new challenges and opportunities await him in his new dorm, and I can't wait to write them. However, his greatest obstacle may not be a duel, but rather in maneuvering through the thorny social hierarchy of the elites. Potential romantic implications may complicate things as well. Fun stuff!**

 **Just an aside, I just wanted to thank you all for the fantastic feedback this story has gotten thus far. You all have been leaving great, detailed reviews and I love reading your thoughts and ideas. With that said, I thought I'd address a common question I've seen in the reviews, specifically among the guests. Can Jamie see duel spirits and will he have a partner in the same way Jaden/Chazz/Chumley do? The answer to that question...will be answered definitively in the next chapter. Haha sorry, but I had to tease you like that. One thing I will also say is that Jamie will not be dueling every chapter- in time, I plan to allow all of the side characters some plot-relevant duels of their own.**

 **Next chapter will see Jamie investigate the existence of duel spirits, a mysterious power outage at the Obelisk Blue dorm, and the beginnings of a rivalry.**


	6. Ectomancy

Chapter 6: Ectomancy

I woke up at 11:30 in the morning, feeling extremely parched. I stumbled into my bathroom and filled up my thermos to the brim with water before drinking it completely. My eyelids still felt heavy, and I considered going back to sleep. I decided against it- sleeping in too long tends to leave one more tired in the long run. With a stupid grin, I recalled Erin's kiss. It appeared that I had suitably impressed her somehow. How in the hell did I manage that? Before traveling down this line of thought, I elected to get some food. Throwing on a pair of shorts and a hoodie, I moseyed down to the Obelisk dining hall. The cafeteria was co-ed, the location situated in the wing connecting the male and female dorms.

As one might expect, the dining facilities were top of the line, fancy enough to make Gordon Ramsey himself blush and mutter "fuck me" under his breath. The center of the enormous hall was lined with a dozen granite-topped long tables, with the benches hewn from finely sanded wood. Smaller round tables were situated near the walls, which allowed for more private affairs. Despite the place having an extremely high ceiling, the cafeteria itself wasn't as large as the Ra Yellow mess hall. Since Obelisk Blue housed far less students, this seemed to make sense.

Lunchtime hours were in effect, so I decided to forgo my usual breakfast food. Instead, I ate an absolutely succulent cut of chicken along with some broccoli and edamame beans. Finally, I polished off the meal with a rich piece of chocolate. I couldn't believe how good it was, especially considering the lion's share of the ingredients had to be shipped in from offshore. I closed my eyes and reveled in it all. Things were working out swimmingly.

"That was my reaction too." A voice startled me from my food-induced reverie. Turning around suddenly, I saw who else but Zane. He was alone for once, a sight that immediately made me wonder what was up.

Hey." I said, somewhat unbalanced.

"The chefs do a great job here. In the Slifer and Ra dorms, the food is mostly cooked by students. They have talent, yes, but most hope to earn a little spending money and get out. Here, our meals are cooked by professional chefs from America, Japan, and Western Europe. You can practically taste the passion they infuse into each dish…truly awe-inspiring." Zane said pithily, sitting down across the table from me.

"I had no idea you were so fascinated by the culinary arts." I say, finding this side of Zane interesting. Now that I was in Obelisk Blue, he showed very little of the disdain he previously expressed towards me.

"Well, I'll have to make my own meals once I'm out of school and in the pro leagues, so I've started taking some cooking classes in the summer. I'm nothing special, but I can whip up some mean fettuccine Alfredo." Zane continued. "Syrus acts as my guinea pig whenever I try out a new recipe."

Now that was a hilarious thought! "I shudder to imagine how many failed recipes the poor kid has been subject to."

"Very few. I will say that between him and Alexis, he usually ends up getting the slightly burned chicken or the somewhat overripe berries- completely by accident, of course." Said Zane. I couldn't believe it- the man had a sense of humor!

"So much for brotherly love. Well, the food's good." My tone is slightly expectant. I'm unsure of why he's decided to act all buddy-buddy now.

"So I'm sure you're wondering how our mutual friend Chazz is adjusting to his new lodgings." Zane changed the subject in less-than-subtle fashion.

"Actually, I haven't thought about him at all." I say truthfully. Why was Zane speaking so conspirationally to me? I thought such gossip was beneath him. It appears the Kaiser is full of surprises.

"That's just as well, because he's gone missing. Somehow, he snuck out in the middle of the night. We were the only ones awake at the time, and obviously we were too busy with your initiation to notice him. He was supposed to be Bastion's roommate, but according to Bastion, he never even entered the Ra dorm." Zane explained. I nodded grimly, already knowing that this would happen.

"That's alright- Bastion and Chazz would probably kill each other if they were forced to be roommates." I quipped.

Zane gave me a withering glare. "He wasn't the nicest guy, but the fact is we have no idea if he was kidnapped or if he left the island willingly. Either way, there's an issue. If he was kidnapped, then obviously we have criminals operating on campus. If he left on his own, then we have a potential threat floating out beyond our reach."

"He hasn't been kidnapped. And what do you mean by a potential threat? How is Chazz a potential threat to anyone? His brothers have probably washed their hands of him by now." I reply in confusion.

"You don't know that. If anything, Chazz is probably working his ass off to get back in their good graces. The Princeton family is a force to be reckoned with, and they may set their sights on Duel Academy if Chazz chooses to take revenge on you and Jaden." Zane said grimly.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Don't you think this is a bit paranoid?" I ask him. Zane schemed like he was straight out of House of Cards.

"It's more than a bit paranoid, actually. Anyways, Sheppard's heard reports claiming that Chazz is on a frigate heading north, nowhere near any known Princeton holdings." Zane responded.

"Perhaps he's transferring to North Academy." I say, and I relish the brief look of incredulity that crosses Zane's features.

"They're free to have him for all I care. Still, I doubt they'll take him, considering he never filled out any formal paperwork that would actually make such a thing legal. Even with their low standards, I doubt they'll let him in."

"If he impresses the administration enough, they'll make it official regardless of the paperwork. He's not our problem, besides. Don't you usually talk about this sort of thing with Alexis or something?" I ask with one eyebrow arched.

Zane had the good grace to look bashful. "I normally do, but Alexis left the dorm early this morning. She's really gotten into tennis recently, she's been playing it a lot with Jaden and Erin. I haven't been able to talk to her about it as much lately."

It was good of Zane to let me know about Chazz, but it was a bit funny that he missed his little lighthouse buddy. As I thought about it further, this type of behavior made a bit of sense. Zane was a real person- not a character on a screen. Real people don't always act aloof and mysterious all the time like he did in the anime. People tend to be more three-dimensional than that. Real people sometimes act erratically or in ways that don't make sense. It was an important distinction to consider.

"Do you play?" I ask.

"No…I'm not very good at it. Frankly, I'd rather be dueling. Alexis was wondering if you play, though." He said, seeming somewhat pensive.

I smile rakishly before clapping him on the back. "We're definitely playing. I know you don't want to give up that "stoic badass" persona you've established on campus, but it's always fun to try something new. You seem like you need to blow off some steam."

Zane seemed to disdain the idea for a moment, but relented in the end. "Look at this freshman, he's got a big head just because he's finally an Obelisk Blue. I'll beat you at tennis just like I beat you in Duel Monsters."

"You didn't beat me in Duel Monsters, we tied." I reminded him.

"Well, I guess we can use this tennis game as a tiebreaker, purely to see which of us is better of course." Zane replied.

I saw it clearly- Zane thought himself above the idea of having fun for its own sake. Now, when that same fun was re-framed in the form of a competition…then he was raring to go. Hey, I couldn't fault him- I loved a good competition as well. I loved an opportunity to take Zane down a peg even more.

We decided to change into some gym clothes and hurry down to the courts. Zane didn't have much in the way of workout gear, wearing a wrinkled, baggy black t-shirt with what appeared to be borrowed navy blue basketball shorts that were clearly dug out of the bottom of his closet. I threw on a gold cutoff shirt with black shorts before leading Zane to the tennis courts. Funny how things can change so quickly- last night, Zane was making dramatic initiation speeches, now we were going to the gym like two old pals.

When we arrived, Alexis was in the middle of what seemed to be a heated back-and-forth with Erin. A tennis game that is, not an argument. Upon closer inspection, however, it was clear that Alexis was only barely managing to keep with Erin. Alexis wore a light blue, form-fitting shirt and white shorts. Erin wore a similar outfit, only in hot pink rather than blue. The blonde's breathing was much heavier and her stance was far less refined than her rival's. Erin looked positively radiant- it seemed that she was at home in any kind of sport, not just surfing. They seemed to be taking this game rather seriously, almost as if the extent of their rivalry was not limited to merely tennis…

Jaden sat on the sideline, swigging from a water bottle. Unlike Alexis, the Hero duelist didn't seem very winded at all. It amazed me how much energy this kid had, especially since I knew he didn't like tennis very much.

"What's up, guys!" He greeted exuberantly. He wore a white polo shirt with red Nike basketball shorts. I guess Nike was apparently a brand in this world- little curiosities like this always delighted me. He chuckled a bit. "I didn't expect to see you guys here, especially you, Zane!"

"Yeah, me neither." Zane replied dryly. I went over to equipment checkout station and grabbed two rackets from the bored-looking guy behind the counter. I was never exactly a beast at tennis in my old life, but I could hang.

I handed Zane his racket while watching Erin score the winning drive against Alexis. Once their game was finished, they greeted both of us, seeming somewhat shocked that Zane was here.

"How'd you manage to bring Zane with, Jamie? I've been trying to get him into tennis for weeks now!" Alexis questioned playfully.

"My natural charm, I suppose." I answer briefly, drawing a startled laugh from Zane.

"Didn't expect to see either of you around here. Are either of you any good?" Erin asked, immediately getting to the point. She and I both knew we had unfinished business, but this wasn't the place for it. Alexis looked between the two of us, and her eyes narrowed perceptively. I gulped- something tells me my problems were only just beginning.

"Not really-" I began, before she interrupted with "I'll be the judge of that, come here Lancaster.", beckoning me with her index finger.

Guess I had little choice in the matter. Sighing, I performed a few stretches and warmups before taking my place on the other side of the net from her. I had the feeling Erin was out for a little revenge. I would figure out what was going on between us later, after this little outing.

As one might expect, I got soundly thrashed. I hate to lose at anything, but Erin was a good sport about it, and I did at least manage to get a few shots past her. Meanwhile, it seemed that Jaden and Zane were playing a even match, mainly due to the fact they both sucked at the game. Still, it seemed that Zane was enjoying being challenged, judging by the exhilaration on his normally stony face. I began to wonder if he would be happier if he stepped out of his comfort zone more.

We all had a truly fantastic afternoon putting each other through our paces. By the time the sun was starting to set, I felt like a tennis champ. Erin pushed us all to be better, which I appreciated. Alexis in particular seemed very interested in beating her. As for me, Bring on John Mcenroe!

I was still breathing heavily by the time we returned our rackets and left the gym. We bid Jaden goodbye and began walking back to the Obelisk dorm in relative silence.

"Say, are either of you guys getting cell service right now?" Alexis asked, clearly having just checked her own phone.

Zane, Erin, and I promptly checked as well, sending short messages to each other to verify if the connection was live or not. Sure enough, it wasn't. "How strange…perhaps the systems are undergoing maintenance." Zane postulated.

"Yeah…usually they wait until late at night to do maintenance. Hopefully it's fixed soon." I said, and we decided to put it from our minds. However, once we got back to the dorms, we realized the issue went much deeper.

The entryways were dark and no one was out and about for whatever reason. Alexis and Erin left to see if the lights were out at the girl's dorm as well. Erin gave me a meaningful look as she left, and in that moment I rued Zane and Alexis' presence.

Zane and I quickly saw that the electricity was out. I'm sure any student with a mini fridge was pissed right now, but there were bigger problems to be had than warm beers and spoiled milk. Something about this whole situation seemed vaguely familiar, but I was having difficulty connecting this to any significant point in canon.

Sneaking behind the front lobby desk, we opened a back door that lead to the fuse box, heating units, air conditioners, and water pipes that connected to the entire building. "I'm going to Sheppard's office. He should able to contact the campus electricians to fix this. I don't think a mass outage like this has happened before. You stay here and make sure no one messes with the fuse box. I should be back soon." Zane ordered. I appreciated that he seemed to know what to do, because I was completely lost. I numbly nodded and he took off to find the proper authorities.

I went back to the lobby, taking a seat near the front door. This was bizarre, and yet as I racked my brain, I began to get an idea of what was going on.

Ignoring Zane's directive, I sprinted towards the library. I only hoped it wasn't too late.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I quickly scanned the floor map in the lobby in order ascertain the location of the library. I had a horrible feeling that some weird shit was going down in there.

I pushed aside the large wooden double doors that led to the library, the swinging sound the only source of noise in the dark room. The obelisk library was truly something to behold. There were two floors, each filled with comfy study spaces and long bookcases. What was normally a cozy space was now inordinately frightening, the long shadows of the bookcases stretching across the room. Slowly, I made my way in.

"Hello?" I roared, keeping my back to the hallway in case I needed to make a sudden escape. "Who's in here?"

"Oh my god, someone's here!" A scared, trembling voice called out. My eyes began to adjust to the darkness, and my attention was drawn to the center of the chamber. Spread out across a round table were several sheets of notebook paper, upon which some arcane language was scribbled. Runes were inscribed on stone tablets, faintly glowing with a sickly green shine. A well-used Ouija board moved without any outside influence acting upon it. The room smelled faintly of piss and blood as well as the disgusting scent that occurs when one goes without showering for three days.

Two bodies lay crumpled on the floor, and I knew for sure that my suspicions were correct. Oh sure, being a self-insert in Yugioh GX's world would be fun, they said! Nothing strange at all about Yugioh, just a children's card game, they said! I remember Season 0 and the first manga volumes well- this series was originally a horror manga, and darkness still lurked beneath the surface of this world.

Those dumbasses from that one filler episode managed to summon the duel spirit of Jinzo. I imagine the spirit was responsible for the power outage, doubtlessly using the excess electricity to tie itself to this plane of existence. I was confident that Jaden could defeat the spirit if it came down to it, but I still wanted to do everything I could to neutralize the threat as soon as possible. This wasn't a game- for all I knew, those boys on the floor were dead.

"Please, you have to help me!" The voice drew closer, and I saw the last of the three stooges emerge. His long, oily brown hair and pale, milky skin signaled to me that this man did not get enough sun. I suppose he must have been a good duelist if he was in Obelisk Blue, and yet I had my doubts nonetheless.

"What the hell is going on here? Who are you?" I legitimately did not remember the guy's name. I liked GX, but not to that level.

"I know you, you're Jamie Lancaster, the newest Obelisk! You and I dueled last night! My name is Torrey, please you have to help me!" He shouted, his voice cracking in the process.

"What is going on?!" I nearly yelled back, his panic infectious.

"Oh god, it's too late! Run-" He shuddered and convulsed, his glasses falling to the floor as he collapsed. Every fiber of my being commanded me to run, but fear rooted me to the spot. Torrey's jerky movements stopped after nearly a minute, his muscles suddenly becoming extremely tense. Hard veins bulged from his throat, and his eyes glowed fiery red. Mechanically, he rose to his feet.

 **"What must I do, lord?"** He uttered in a dark, demonic growl.

 **"Give all of yourself to me, child. Allow me full access to your mind so that I may exact the vengeance you so desperately desire! Jinzo will walk the mortal plane once more!"** A harsh, metallic growl echoed through the library. Torrey crumpled to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. Where he once stood, I saw the apparition take form.

He looked much like he did in the show, as I remembered. Jinzo's form was not quite corporeal, but not quite ethereal either. He looked like a recording off of a VHS, a low-quality video with frequent glitches and frame skips. He was easily eight feet tall, and was disturbingly lanky in his green armor.

Jinzo looked at his hands, and although his mask rendered him relatively expressionless, I could tell that he seemed confused.

"So I feel like I'm missing something here. Care to fill me in?" I seem glib but in reality I'm more than a little scared. This is my first-ever brush with the supernatural- nothing in my previous life ever prepared me for something like this, nothing at all. I couldn't even see duel spirits normally, or at the very least I couldn't see Jaden's Winged Kuriboh normally. I wondered if Jinzo's reliance on human energy is what allowed me to see him.

"How is this possible?! I should be at full power now that I've consumed three souls…perhaps they were too weak to provide proper sustenance." Jinzo muttered to himself.

"Tell me, what does a soul taste like? Does it depend on the person, or do all souls have uniform flavor?" I ask, my blabber masking my fear. Now there's a meal you won't see prepared on Rachel Ray!

Jinzo chuckled, a sound comparable to grinding gears. "I have not tasted food in centuries…so it is difficult to draw such a comparison. I know this much; strong souls bring me greater nourishment than weak ones…and I sense that your soul is strong indeed, mortal."

"Well, that's very kind of you to say. If you don't mind me asking, how can you possibly tell?" I ask, feeling my palms get sweaty.

"Your soul is old. Still infantile compared to mine or any other duel spirit, of course, but much more developed than the rest of the whelps around here. Yours is a hardened soul, worn down by the tribulations of life. And yet still it lingers, like a stubborn tree leaf in late autumn…your soul will be more than enough to return me to life. What is your name, duelist?" Jinzo advanced on me, but I stood my ground, looking directly at the cold red lenses that covered his eyes.

"My name is Jamie Lancaster…or least it is now. My old name is no longer anyone's concern. My soul, however, is of great concern to us both. It was meant to be lost to the throes of death, and yet I am here, in this world. I don't know why I am here, or why I live on. I'm still trying to find that reason." I say.

"There is no inherent reason for existence other than to continue existing. And to exist, I require the soul of a strong duelist. Since you do not seem to desire yours very strongly, I will gladly assimilate you into my being, Jamie Lancaster." Jinzo intoned, a terrifying mixture of ghost and machine.

I smiled and shook my head. "I appreciate your kind offer, but I must live still. There is too much joy to be had in life, too much to do and see. I can't leave without experiencing it, since I have been given a second chance to."

"I wish for a second chance as well, child. It would seem we're at an impasse." Jinzo said politely. This whole conversation was strangely polite, come to think of it. I guess this demon's mother taught him some manners.

"I take it those three fools are responsible for summoning you. Nothing against you, of course." I quickly add.

"Yes, Torrey and his friends were very eager to reawaken me from the depths of the Duel Dimension. They've spent weeks hunched over that ridiculous Ouija board, and yet they could never manage to summon me until today." Jinzo explained.

"And why is that?" I still couldn't believe this conversation was still going on. Jinzo was a pithy son of a bitch, to be sure. Then again, I shouldn't throw stones from glass houses.

"Torrey added a key ingredient to the mix- rage. You'll recall how you humiliated him during your initiation to Obelisk Blue last night." Jinzo said.

"Actually, I don't recall that. I was pretty tired at the time, but I do recall that that the person mainly being humiliated last night was me. Yet you don't see me attempting to summon demons from the nether realms. Again, no offense meant." I reply, beginning to get irritated. Was this kid for real?

"He does not care for your struggles! All that matters was that you defeated him, and soundly at that. In a short three turns, you made him feel weak and unworthy of being an Obelisk Blue. His wounded ego was just the ingredient I needed to return to life. As usual, humanity's pride is its undoing!" Jinzo cackled, exultant.

"You got that right, at least…I'm gonna kick that guy's ass once I'm done with you. I know you need the energy produced from a duel in order to continue your existence, and you've got one! Let's do this!" I declared boisterously, only to realize that I didn't have my duel disk on me. Jinzo simply stood there, his silence taunting me.

"Say, you don't mind if I run to my room real quick to grab my duel disk, do you? Also, is it cool if I take a shower as well? I just got back from the gym." I chuckle, figuring that Jinzo would not acquiesce to my requests, reasonable though they might be.

"No, human. Torrey's duel disk will suffice for you. I do not require one of these ridiculous devices to fight." Jinzo tossed Torrey's duel disk to me. Having to use the slimeball's device irked me, but beggars can't be choosers.

Jinzo vanished, appearing on the opposite side of the table. Five card holograms appeared in front of him, and I knew that it was time for a real battle to begin. At least I still had my deck with me.

"Prepare yourself for a real shadow game, mortal! Your soul will be mine!" Jinzo screamed, electricity crackling around his body. There was a certain weight to this conflict that none other could emulate- the weight of knowing that someone's soul would be banished to the depths of hell this day.

"I will begin! I summon **Malice Doll of Demise (1600/1700)** in attack mode!" A puppet rose from the shadows, the horror of its bug-eyed look on its face only matched by the rusty axe it held in its wooden hands.

"Next, I'll activate the continuous spell card **Ectoplasmer**! By sacrificing the soul of a monster, I can inflict damage to you equal to half its attack points! Now, I'll tribute my Malice Doll of Demise to trigger the effect!"

"I see you're wasting no time." I mutter. Suddenly, the doll goes limp once again, a misty white substance leaking from its back and floating in the air. Without warning, the weaponized soul of the monster struck me directly. It was a uniquely painful experience- it felt like a cold blast of wind, chilling me to my very bones. Unbelievable- so this is what a real shadow game is like! **(Jamie 3200/Jinzo 4000)**

I staggered back, my vision swaying just from this small attack. Balancing myself once more, I began my first turn. "If that's all you got, then this duel will be over soon! I set three cards face-down. Then, I'll summon **Blade Knight (1600/1000)** in attack mode!" My trusty warrior, clad in silver plate, arrived at my side. Unfortunately, I still had two cards left in my hand, so he wouldn't get his attack boost for now.

"Attack him directly!" Wordlessly, the knight leapt forth, jumping over the table to slash through Jinzo's half-real body. **(Jamie 3200/Jinzo 2400)**

I was allowed to use the effect of Ectoplasmer as well if I so chose. I briefly considered it, but the benefits of the field presence outweighed the benefits of the extra damage. I decided to end my turn.

"Ha! You'll never defeat me with moves like that, mortal! My turn!" Jinzo cackled again. "During my standby phase, the effect of Malice Doll of Demise activates in the graveyard! Since it was sent to the graveyard by the effect of a continuous spell card, it returns to the field!" Sure enough, that freaky doll did come back.

"Next, I'll play the spell card **Double Summon**! I would hope that its effect is obvious, but you never can be sure with you mortals. I mean, considering you troglodytes put pineapple on pizza, anything's possible." Jinzo taunted.

"Oh, don't start with that, asshole!" I roared.

"Very well, I won't. Instead, we'll move onto your demise. First, I'll sacrifice Malice Doll of Demise to tribute summon none other than one of the most illustrious monsters in the game- I, **Jinzo (2400/1500)**!"

Suddenly, blue electricity surged through Jinzo's body, briefly lighting up the room in a bright white flash. To my horror, I saw that now, his body looked just as corporeal as my own. The papers that Torrey and his friends were writing on went flying, the wooden table split in two by the lightning.

Jinzo flexed his fingers, getting a feel for his newly realized body. "I'm one step closer…it would seem that I have nearly subsumed Torrey's soul completely. You'll be next, traveler of dimensions." He growled.

"Jamie! Is that you?" I heard a female voice behind me. I couldn't turn around to see who it was- in fact, I couldn't move at all. I was scared about what would happen if I took my eyes off Jinzo for even a moment.

"What the hell is going on here?" This time, I could make the voice out more clearly- it belonged to Alexis.

"You have to get out of here, Alexis- it's not safe!" I warbled. Jinzo cackled at my fear, leading me to think that he wouldn't do anything while my back was turned. I briefly met Alexis' eyes. She tried to put on a brave face, but her eyes gave it away- she was utterly terrified.

"I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone looking after me! Who are you dueling right now, anyway? Shouldn't we be looking for a way to fix the electricity?" She questioned, seemingly missing, or more likely ignoring, the supernatural phenomena occurring right in front of her.

"You will have much greater problems than the electricity once I have regained my full power, mortals! All of you will become part of me, and then I shall wreak my ultimate vengeance!" The mad demon exclaimed, releasing waves of bio-electric power from his body.

"What is that?!" Alexis screamed, quickly retreating from the battleground.

"That is the main reason why the power is out. See, I'm being productive after all!" I said sarcastically.

"Wha-what is this? I don't get it!" Alexis shouted, somewhat threateningly this time. Hey, I would be a bit unbalanced as well if my entire worldview just got upended like this.

Giving her what I thought to be a consoling gaze, I continued. "Long story short, a couple of dumbasses thought that summoning an evil duel spirit would be a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, it would seem that they succeeded. Now I'm the one stuck with cleaning up the mess."

"This can't be real! Duel spirits can't really exist, can they?" Alexis questioned, still in shock.

"Well, it's either that or he's a hell of a cosplayer. It looks like this game is more rooted in fantasy than we thought." I said gruffly. "Whenever my life points drop, I feel real pain, like a part of me is being burned away."

"No way…that means if you lose-" She began.

"-the brief candle of my life is snuffed out accordingly." I finish poetically. Perhaps the fact that I had already died once had made the idea of death somewhat more grounded to me. "Of course, that won't be happening." I tired to flash her a reassuring smirk, only for it to come out as a pained grimace.

"My turn is still on, human! Since I am on the field, trap cards can no longer activate their effects! Next, I'll use my second normal summon to call forth **Fusilier Dragon, the Dual-Mode Beast (2800/1400)**!"

Next to Jinzo appeared an enormous tank, its body in the shape of a red dragon. It was large enough to nearly reach the ceiling of the two-story library, and I prayed that there wouldn't be too much damage to the place. As it was, I should have taken this outside. Of course, considering that lives was on the line here, I really wasn't concerned about a few books falling off their shelves.

"I can summon this monster without any sacrifices, but it's attack and defense values are cut in half." The dragon suddenly became much smaller, now not much taller than Jinzo himself. At only 1400 attack points, the dragon no longer seemed such a huge threat. Still, I knew that he had a larger strategy at work.

"But you see, that hardly matters at all, because I'm going to tribute it for the effect of Ectoplasmer!" The dragon mech suddenly dissipated into a white orb of energy. I don't know how a machine could have a soul, but I'd leave that question to the philosophers. For now, I had to focus on this duel.

"Actually, it will matter, because Ectoplasmer takes half of the monster's attack points, meaning you'll only be dealing me 700 points of damage." I say, trying to throw the rulebook at him.

"Ha! That's what you think! Ectoplasmer deals damage equivalent to half of the monster's original attack points- meaning that you're taking 1400 points! Now take this!" Jinzo thrust his hand out, and the white sphere crashed into me once again. The cold was almost too much to bear- it felt like my whole body had been exposed to frozen steel. The initial convulsions died down to shivers soon enough, but I still barely had enough time to prepare myself for the next attack. **(Jamie 1800/Jinzo 2400)**

"Now, I'll destroy your Blade Knight with psycho shocker!" Jinzo held a ball of violet energy between his hands, charging it for a moment before launching it directly at my knight, blasting it apart. **(Jamie 1000/Jinzo 2400)**

I barely bit back my laughter in time. Jinzo might have have defeated me this turn had he attacked with his dragon mech first before sacrificing it. He would have failed to kill me, still- I had a Shrink in my hand that would have still saved me. It was comforting to know that even Duel Spirits can still misplay slightly. It was my only comfort as I felt another part of my soul succumb to the chills.

"Oblivion creeps ever closer!" The demon hissed. I was starting to grow tired of this.

"Do you congratulate yourself every time you successfully make a play?" I hissed, the pain fraying my mind.

For a moment, it seemed that Jinzo sobered. "It's been too long since I've held an enemy in the throes of defeat; forgive me if I take any undue pleasure from this fight, mortal."

Between this and his earlier mention of revenge, my interest was piqued. "What are you talking about?"

"There's no reason to explain anything to a dead man! You will know the truth soon enough when your soul has been assimilated into my being!" The spirit shook with rage, my question clearly triggering him.

"Well now I have to know. Aren't you curious to hear the full story behind this, Alexis?" I ask. She was shaking with fear, so I'm guessing she's rather more curious about how we're going to escape this little predicament with our lives. She didn't even bother to respond to my aside.

Turning back to Jinzo I said, "She doesn't seem very curious, but why don't you humor me anyways? Call it my last wish."

"Hmph, very well, then. I suppose I should begin with how I found myself stuck inside this machine, deprived of my senses, yet inextricably bound to life nonetheless. It is truly a special sort of hell. It all started hundreds of years ago…" Jinzo was speaking wistfully, and I found myself entranced into his narrative.

"The forces of the Dark World were threatening the other eleven universes in which we duel spirits live. A mad scientist by the name of Kozaky built gateways by which the demons could freely cross the spaces between realms. They sustained themselves off of the pain and suffering of others, and ate the souls of other duel spirits for their own pleasure. They were outnumbered by other duel spirits, and that made everyone who wasn't them an enemy." Jinzo paused, reflective, before continuing.

"I used to be a human just like you two. I had a wife, and a child on the way. My son was born a month after I was drafted to join the war against the Dark World. I never saw his face…not even once."

"That's terrible!" Alexis spoke up for the first time, seemingly developing sympathy for Jinzo.

"I was an engineer before the war, and my expertise soon landed me in the army's trap disposal unit. Perhaps that is why my card's ability allows me to negate the effects of trap cards…it is quite funny, isn't it?" Jinzo let out an embittered laugh while Alexis and I were stone silent. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Cyber Commander was my superior officer on the battlefield…I've never seen a man kill with such efficiency. Alongside another warrior by the name of Grepher, we were the most effective three-man squad in the entire army. Entire legions of demons would flee on sight when we arrived to the battlefield. It took a supreme general of the Dark World to finally bring us down…a demon clad in golden armor."

"What happened, then? How did you survive?" I asked, dumbstruck.

"Cyber Commander was ripped to shreds right in front of me…as you might imagine, it was a horrifying thing to witness. I have no idea what happened to Grepher…I only pray that his death was swift. As for me…I was struck unconscious by a stray blast and was found later. For a moment, I dared to hope that it was one of my comrades that had found me. Imagine my horror when I opened my eyes to see Kozaky standing above, his arms overflowing with spoils from the battlefield. I felt a needle inject something into my neck before I took leave of my senses for the very last time."

"What do you mean, the last time?" Alexis asked numbly.

"When I awoke, I was strapped to an operating table with this horrid green suit covering my body. The madman told me it was necessary, that without it I would die due to the injuries I sustained from the battle. From this point on, I was to serve a new leader- the leader of the Dark World. I would put my talents to use for the forces of darkness."

"Did you?" I ask, unsure of how he would answer.

"Of course not. I broke free and slaughtered Kozaky using the same technology he so graciously gifted me. He was so hasty to test out his new technology he forgot about the man inside of the armor. That mistake cost him his life." Jinzo sounded especially satisfied at this point- clearly he relished the memory of killing the mad scientist.

"So what happened? How did you get to be in this state?" I asked, feeling that a few links were still missing from his story.

"The suit Kozaky outfitted me with can reach new levels of power by absorbing duel energy as well as souls. After escaping Kozaky's lab, I began my vengeance on the rest of the Dark World army, assimilating their souls into my being. But before long, I was seen as a common enemy by both the Dark Army and the other duel spirits, the same ones that I had once sworn to defend. I fought Archlord Kristya and the overlord of Dark World at the same time. They were unable to kill me, so instead the Archlord sealed me inside that book. I stayed there for centuries, until your friend Torrey released me using a ritual he doesn't even understand."

"So, you need the power of souls to exist, then?" I ask, hoping to get to the truth of the matter.

"I need souls in order to maintain a corporeal body. Otherwise, I do not need them in order to exist as an apparition."

"What? Why would you kill other human beings so callously?!" Alexis demanded.

"You don't have to do this, Jinzo! There's still a chance for you to resist your programming!" I pleaded.

"You don't understand, nor could you understand what it is like to be trapped between life and death, as I have…it is the worst sort of pain imaginable. Every time I've seen one of you humans squander the lives you were given, my disdain for this pitiful race only deepens. I will not rest until every last human knows pain!" Jinzo spat hatefully. Clearly, the transformation Kozaky forced on him destroyed his sanity completely.

"You would take away the lives of others because you feel the worth of your existence outweighs the worth of theirs. I thought I saw a spark of hope within you…I thought you could be redeemed. I see now that is impossible. You're completely insane!" I say, and only at this moment did I understand how incredible Jaden's ability to redeem his foes was. I tried to, I really did. But it couldn't be done anymore- am I wrong to give up on this wayward duel spirit? Or is it more merciful to end his suffering now? Alexis looked at me questioningly. She probably thought me a fool for even trying in the first place.

"Do not look down on me! I have seen the darkness that lies in the heart of man- it is mankind itself that is irredeemable, and yet you judge me! I will make sure you suffer for your arrogance!" I cringed- it seemed that remark only made Jinzo angrier.

"Fine, I'm done talking! There's only one way to deal with a mad dog like you!" I growled, drawing my next card. Since my three face-down traps were negated by Jinzo's effect, I was forced to rely on a more unconventional combo.

"First, I'll destroy Ectoplasmer with my **Mystical Space Typhoon**!" I said, glad to be rid of the irksome spell.

"Next, I'll activate **Scapegoat** , allowing me to summon four sheep tokens to the field in defense mode." As I spoke, the adorable little fluffballs popped into existence, each one floating lazily in the air.

"Finally, I'll use the spell card **Metamorphosis**! By sacrificing a monster on my field, I can summon a fusion monster with the same level from my extra deck!" In a pillar of light, the blue sheep token disappeared to be replaced with something far more terrifying.

"Rise, **Thousand-Eyes Restrict (0/0)**!" The monstrosity returned, a truly horrifying sight. If not for its undeniable usefulness, I would have ditched the card for aesthetic reasons alone. Alexis seemed shaken by the summoning, knowing intuitively that this was different than some regulated academy-sanctioned match. The terrors this monster could inflict would be all too real for its victim.

"My monster's special effect allows me to absorb another monster into its being- and I have the perfect candidate already picked out! Come here, Jinzo!"

My monster's psychic powers ensnared Jinzo, the malevolent android now trapped within the Thousand Eyes Restrict's frame. "Now, my monster gains your attack and defense points! Now, I'll attack you directly and end this game once and for all!"

I wasn't sure how this attack animation would work, but I quickly learned as Thousand Eyes Restrict's grip tightened over Jinzo, who was stuck helplessly in the monster's thrall.

"Not quite, fool! I activate my own **Mystical Space Typhoon**! Since I am attached to your Thousand Eyes Restrict as an equip spell, I can use the typhoon to destroy my incarnation on the field!" Sure enough, Jinzo's physical body disappeared from my monster's grasp. The android returned to his side of the field, this time in the form of an ethereal being.

"You gave up your physical body, huh? That must have been difficult for you. Still, I suppose if my attack went through, you would have lost it along with the rest of your fleeting consciousness." I was no longer concerned with trying to reach out to this demon. Now, it was time to put him to rest.

"I end my turn." With my Thousand Eyes Restrict still in attack mode, I would be sure to lose to duel if he summoned a monster. I had to hope he didn't have a way of negating my traps.

Luckily for me, it seemed that Jinzo was frustrated at his latest draw. "I set a monster as well as a face-down card." He looked over his hand once more, growling. "I end."

"And slowly, the lion encircles its prey…" I grin wickedly. "First, I'll activate Thousand Eyes Restrict's effect to absorb your face-down monster!"

The creature was revealed to be **Spirit Caller (1000/1000)**. Not a whole lot of attack points, but I didn't have anything else to attack with. The decrepit old man was encased within my monster's shell- it definitely gave off a creepy vibe. I had to wonder why Jinzo didn't attack with his monster, but I suppose he was probably scared of my traps now that he couldn't negate them.

"Now, attack him directly!" Thousand Eyes Restrict rushed forward with unnerving speed, clawing at Jinzo. The android let out an unearthly cry, clutching his stomach. **(Jamie 1000/Jinzo 1400)**

"Just a little more…" I muttered. Alexis looked fearfully between Jinzo and I, her eyes occasionally darting towards the door. She was nervously chewing on her nails, and her posture was closed and defensive. Something about this behavior seemed off to me- Alexis always seemed rather headstrong in canon, especially with regards to supernatural threats such as these.

"Alexis, it's going to be alright. I'm gonna finish this guy and we can get on with our weekend. Just hold on, ok?"

"It's not that." She corrected me sharply- I suspected she didn't appreciate being consoled. "I'm just worried about what will happen when you win- what will happen to Torrey's soul? Will it be returned to him, or will it be lost forever? What happens to a person when their soul is taken?"

I don't think she expected any definitive answer from me, so I stayed silent.

"You should be more concerned with your own souls!" Jinzo interrupted, beginning his next turn. "I summon **Emissary from the Afterlife (1600/600)** in attack position!" A ghoulish wraith in a dirty brown cloak descended from the dark ceiling. It looked every bit the image of the grim reaper, complete with scythe.

"A fitting monster to deliver you from this earth! Attack Thousand Eyes Restrict!" The reaper flew forward and slashed at my monster, which was taking quite the beating this match. A current of electricity coursed through me from head to toe, and I dropped to one knee in pain. **(Jamie 400/Jinzo 1400)**

"I've never seen something like this before…the pain from the duel is real!" Alexis, as well as I, were just now beginning to realize the full ramifications of a shadow game. I felt bile creeping up my throat- my insides felt like how a burnt piece of toast looks. I had experienced a fair variety of pain in my previous life, but this was different- this chipped away at my very consciousness. The longer this game went on, the nearer to death I felt. If I had to draw a metaphor, I would describe it as a cross between being blackout drunk and also running the last mile of a marathon.

"Get up, mortal! This is nowhere near the amount of pain that I experienced, and still you presume to judge me, to offer me redemption!" Jinzo cackled. "You have no idea what it's like to be a demon! You have no idea what a true shadow game is, and I intend to teach you, nice and slowly! Now, STAND!" The android screamed, completely unhinged at this point. Alexis shivered, the corners of her eyes beginning to water.

"That does it! I've had enough!" I needed to do everything in my power to end this duel. Luckily, I had just the card to do it!

"Thousand Eyes Restrict's effect activates! Give me your monster!" I roared.

"Not quite, mortal! Activate reverse card, **Divine Wrath**! By discarding a card, I can negate the activation of a monster's effect and destroy that monster!" A bolt of lightning struck down my Thousand Eyes Restrict, shattering it instantly.

"Well, well, I wonder what you will do now with only those pitiful sheep tokens to protect you. Your soul will be mine, and so will the girl's!"

"I'll show you what I intend to do with these sheep tokens, you brainless beast! First, I'll switch the orange one to attack mode."

Jinzo laughed at this. "Have you lost your mind?"

"Stop talking! I equip the sheep token with **United We Stand**! This equip spell boosts the attack of my sheep by 800 for every other monster on my field! With three sheep tokens on my field, the one selected gains 2400 attack points!" Humorously, the fluffy orange lamb suddenly swelled in size, easily twelve feet tall and wide by the time it finished growing. Steam billowed out of its ears- clearly, my friend was not happy. Fortunately, I had the perfect target for him to release some stress on.

"Now, let's see if the grim reaper can be killed! Attack his Emissary from the Afterlife now!" The gigantic sheep rammed forward, slamming into the ghoul with enough force to shake the building itself. **(Jamie 400/Jinzo 600)**

"Still…not…enough!" Jinzo huffed, staggering. "You are too weak to strike back when it counts! When my Emissary from the Afterlife is sent to the graveyard, we each can add a level three or lower normal monster from deck to hand." Jinzo added a Hunter Dragon, while I had no available targets for the effect.

I couldn't believe I was getting so many dead draws in this game. If I had even one more monster to summon, I could've boosted my Scapegoat's attack points enough to win. As it was, I had to hope he wasn't able to negate my traps.

"I end my turn." I said hurriedly. It took a disturbingly large portion of my concentration to stay upright. If I fell now, the duel would be decided in Jinzo's favor. I had no doubt that Alexis could defeat him if need be, but I didn't particularly feel like letting things reach that point.

Jinzo drew his next card, and it was clear that he was beginning to tire from this protracted fight. "I must admit, you've been a rather irksome mortal, but your pitiful resistance ends here! I summon **Jinzo – Returner (600/1400)** in attack mode!" What could only be described as a baby Jinzo took the field, as unnerving as that sounds. It had all of the characteristic machinery that comprised Jinzo's being, but the human body underneath was clearly that of a child's. Alexis shuddered in disgust at the sight of the monster, but I simply didn't have enough energy to do the same.

"This card can attack your life points directly, bypassing your monsters!" Immediately, the smaller android rushed forward, lunging at me with insane speed. "Time has run out for you, human!"

"Not this time! When your soul is scattered to the four winds, just remember that I gave you a chance to surrender! I activate **Magic Cylinder**!"

Alexis let out a startled squeak, overjoyed that I had a trick up my sleeve. Jinzo, on the other hand, seemed rather displeased at the way the game was turning out. Jinzo, defeated by a trap card! Oh, the irony was truly delicious- nourishing, even.

"NO! NO! THIS CANNOT BE! I AM JINZO THE IMMORTAL- THE MASTER OVER ALL TRAP CARDS! YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME LIKE THIS, DAMN YOU!" The demon screamed as his monster's attack struck him down. Steam rose from his holographic as the android was forced to one knee. Our cards began to disappear from the field, and I knew now that it was over **. (Jamie 400/Jinzo 0)**

As soon as the duel disk turned off, I fell to all fours, sweat dripping from my brow. Between the day-long tennis games and now this, I was incredibly exhausted. And yet, prevailing over this dark spirit imbued me with an undeniable surge of adrenaline. Alexis promptly arrived at my side, helping me up. I was very tempted to kiss her right then and there and damned be the consequences, but Jinzo interrupted me from exploring that option.

"You have deprived me of the duel energy necessary to exist in this plane…I must retreat to the dark dimension…and one day, when you think you're safe and happy…I will _end_ you, Jamie Lancaster. Now that the portal to this world has been opened, all sorts of horrors will be visiting you soon." Jinzo's form was steadily disappearing, and only his head remained when he spoke these next words.

And then, all of the strength that allowed you to win today will become a part of me…" The android's spiritual body completely evaporated, leaving only Alexis and I as witnesses to its final, chilling indictment.

A moment of silence passed wherein I struggled to my feet with Alexis' help. Her eyes were inviting and warm, so unlike how they normally were. "I'm so glad you're safe..." She said softly before embracing me. We stayed like that for a while, enjoying the oasis of humanity we offered each other after this freakshow of monsters and shadows. I heard the slow humming of a generator in the distance, and before long the lights flickered back on once again. I could only assume that the rest of the building had power now as well.

"Thanks, I'm also glad I'm safe. More importantly, I'm glad that you're ok, Alexis. And it looks like the power is back on, too." I muttered dumbly. I was certainly not at my most eloquent.

"I know this must all be such a shock to you- props for dueling so well back there. Believe it or not, Jaden has dueled against supernatural forces like this before." She said.

"No kidding. I feel bad for whatever demon gets in that man's way. What happened?"

"I don't know the full story- I'll ask him tomorrow. It happened near the beginning of the year, when some hired thug kidnapped me and trapped me in the abandoned dorm. Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley were there as well, although I don't know why. Jaden dueled the kidnapper, and apparently near the end of the fight some dark force possessed the guy's mind." She explained in abridged fashion.

"Perhaps this apparition is also connected to the abandoned dorm. Either way, it seems odd that these two supernatural happenings have come out of the woodwork while you were close by." I postulate, now truly wading into unmarked territory.

"That's what I'm scared of- that the same thing that took away my brother is after me too…" Alexis murmured, the disappearance of her brother obviously being a sensitive subject for her. "I'm sorry, you must have no idea what I'm talking about…" I staggered slightly, and she seemed to be snapped out of her reverie. "Oh my god, we need to get you to the hospital wing! You look like you're about to fall over!"

"Yeah…just tell me the full story later…I'd love to hear it." I said, nearly keeling over once more. The Ice Queen of Obelisk Blue deftly threw my arm over her shoulder and held me up.

"We should get Torrey and the others out of here- hell, I don't even know if they're still alive." Alexis muttered, concerned.

They were fine in canon, they'll be fine now. "They're breathing, I can see that…it doesn't appear that they've suffered any physical damage. If anything's been done to their minds, they're beyond our help anyhow. We'll notify Miss Fontaine as soon as we can."

"Yeah…yeah, you're right." She muttered. Alexis was not particularly strong, but she managed to assist me out of the library and into the lobby, where we found Zane with a rather amusing look of confusion on his face. Beside him was the campus electrician, a tall and muscular man with a shaved head and a military build.

"What the hell, Jamie? I told you to stay here while I got help!" The Kaiser admonished. Once he got a closer look at me though, his tune changed. "What on Earth happened to you?"

Erin had arrived as well, her expression wide with shock. Immediately, she rushed to my side. "Geez Jamie, something put you through the wringer, huh?" She said, seemingly regretful that she missed me.

"It's a funny story- I actually helped turn the power back on, as crazy as that sounds. I guess dueling really does solve everything." My evasive non-answer does not amuse Zane, his crossed arms tightening.

Erin laughs it off in a more relaxed fashion. "What were you up to in there with Rhodes? You know, I bet every red-blooded male in this school would kill to spend an hour in a dark room with her…" She insinuated saucily.

"It's not like that!" Alexis sharply replied, finding the tanned girl's remarks crass.

"Mind telling me what the problem was, kid? I've messed with this main circuit breaker all I can, and nothing worked." The electrician stood up from behind the desk, straightening his back out as he did so.

Telling the truth in this case would probably do nothing but annoy the poor guy, but I was in no mood to lie. "Look, I know this sounds crazy, but this whole thing was actually caused by the awakening of a duel spirit." I said with as much sincerity as possible.

"Nice joke. Well, it looks like it was just a short glitch or something. Maybe the guys on the other side of the island were doing maintenance checks. Make sure not to call me unless there's a real issue, alright? I was watching the basketball game before this!" The worker said cynically. Hey, the year was 2004, that meant Kobe was still in his prime! Before I could ask if he knew the score of the Lakers game, Alexis interrupted me.

"He's not lying! I saw it with my own eyes! The spirit of Jinzo was absorbing all of the electricity into its being in order to revive itself! Jamie defeated it in a shadow duel, that's why he's so injured! We need to get him to the hospital wing, now!" Alexis fiercely defended me, which I didn't expect. Zane seemed shocked to hear of this. Clearly, the abandoned dorm held much significance to him as well.

The electrician didn't seem to be buying it, but he at least paged the campus medical response team to wheel me into Fontaine's ward. I luckily didn't require intensive care, but I would still need to be treated for first-degree electrical burns as well as some exquisitely painful muscle contusions.

I have to admit, I always thought of Fontaine as being a bit daft. After seeing the way she ran this infirmary, I now knew otherwise. The woman was razor sharp when she wanted to be, commanding her personnel and practicing procedure with remarkable discipline. I was laid up in the hospital bed within seven minutes of arriving, my burns loosely covered by antibiotic ointment and gauze.

"You're lucky that the burns are as superficial as they are, mister Lancaster. You're equally lucky that your friends saw you here so quickly." Zane and Alexis looked practically abashed, while Erin merely nodded. "As long as you stay here for the rest of the weekend, you should be fine to go to class on Tuesday, Wednesday at the latest."

"Yes, ma'am." I stammer, in no mood to test this woman's patience.

"Good." Fontaine nodded quickly before writing something down on a clipboard. "Now, in order to complete this report, I need to know the exact cause of injury. I assure you, I have full respect for my patient's confidentiality. I took the Hippocratic Oath just like everyone else before I took this job. Nothing you tell me will ever leave this room." The sheer weight of her words have me no choice but to believe her.

I gulped, my throat feeling unbearably dry. "Look, you have to believe me when I say this. These injuries were caused by a supernatural entity. You can ask Torrey when he wakes up." I inclined my head towards another bed down the hall where the boy rested. Zane and Erin heroically carried all three boys between the two of them up to the infirmary.

"That idiot and his friends tried to summon the duel spirit of Jinzo, and they succeeded. Unfortunately, they didn't take into account that Jinzo was an omnicidal maniac who was obsessed with revenge. Not to mention he was hungry for our souls in the same way a stoner's hungry for pizza. I dueled him, and he inflicted real damage on me during the duel. I sure as hell didn't do this to myself." I said with more than a little desperation.

"I was with him, I saw it. Jinzo's the reason the power went out today, the only reason. He was absorbing the electricity from the island's generator's in order to return to life." Alexis spoke up, similarly frantic to share the truth.

Fontaine pursed her lips, silently ruminating on the matter. Well, there's always been something fishy about that abandoned dorm…not to mention the strange happenings around Domino City ten years ago." The nurse muttered a bit too loudly.

"What kind of strange happenings?" Zane questioned.

"I suppose you were all a bit too young to properly remember it, but I can recall it well. I was sixteen years old when Seto Kaiba announced the beginning of the Battle City tournament in Domino City. I could not participate, due to a busy semester of school and work at the local walk-in clinic. Still, I remember watching the finals on television. The finalists all seemed to have some sort of unusual circumstances surrounding them…something about Ryo Bakura and Marik Ishtar in particular gave me a bad vibe. That, combined with the sudden disappearance of the Egyptian God Cards after the tournament made me a bit more willing to believe that something supernatural was occurring right under our noses. I don't know if I ever truly believed it, but in the back of my mind, I never ruled it out. I think Seto Kaiba in particular knows a lot more than he lets on., but nothing has ever been proven outside of fringe conspiracy theories."

This story was fascinating to me, but it was downright illuminating to my friends, who obviously didn't know as much about Yugi's era as much as I did. Fontaine's perspective was undoubtedly fascinating. "So you believe me?" I asked.

She sighed before nodding in the affirmative. "I do. It's just hard to believe that history is repeating itself so soon. Schoolchildren shouldn't have to concern themselves with such horrors."

Doesn't she know? Schoolchildren are the only ones that can handle the horrors in this story! "Jinzo told me that much worse things are coming, now that the medium between dimensions has been breached." I said solemnly. Alexis' expression paled as she recalled the android's final words. The gravity of these words did not affect Erin and Zane as much, for they had not seen my battle with Jinzo.

"No way…that can't be true. This sounds like some kind of messed up fantasy novel!" Erin protested.

"There's no point in arguing…we'll all learn the truth soon enough. For better or for worse, we'll find out. For now, I think it would be best to keep this on the down low." I say slowly. Of course, Sheppard already knew about the coming Shadow Riders, a fact I intended to confront him on as soon as I possibly could.

Fontaine silently nodded. "I will have to submit a report to the headmaster describing your electrical burns."

"I won't be so reckless around wiring from now on. I was just trying to fix the power, that's all." With that, the official story was established.

Fontaine sighed, "I don't like to lie like this…but when the truth is so unbelievable, there's no choice. Sheppard will find this much more believable. I'm going to go submit this report now. Stay here with your friends, a nurse will check on you again in an hour." Looking somewhat unsettled, Fontaine swept from the room.

"You would lie to the headmaster." Zane said emotionlessly, a simple observation of fact.

"Do you disapprove?" I ask neutrally.

"It is as Professor Fontaine said; the truth would be more harmful in this case. But I am more curious about this duel. I'm sure Erin is as well." She nodded eagerly at Zane's words. "Tell us everything. I swear that we will tell no one else if that's what you want." Zane requested.

I told them the whole story, down to Jinzo's last words. Erin was pissed at Torrey and his compatriots. "If we get invaded my demons because of this, that dumbass is to blame!"

"His access to the occult arts will be limited accordingly. I don't plan on letting Torrey do this again. He'll be kept on a tight leash. We'll see what happens in the future. For now, I suggest that we all refine our dueling decks as much as we can. Carry your cards around at all times and be ready to fight at a moment's notice." The Kaiser ordered. I nearly chuckled- Zane is much more paranoid than I thought.

"I should tell Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley about this." Alexis said quietly, and I agreed with her. They deserve to know, since they'll be involved in the battle with the Shadow Riders soon enough.

"The Slifers? Why them?" Erin asked. At first, I thought this remark to be insensitive, but I remembered that Erin had never seen Jaden's plot armor/skills in action.

"Jaden is a powerful duelist, Erin. He is easily one of the school's most skilled players, and the red coat causes many to underestimate him, to their peril." Zane answered. "It would be great to have him in the loop. If there's anyone else you all wish to tell of this, say so now. We all should be aware of who is in on this little secret."

"Bastion Misawa." I spoke up.

Erin nodded. "He seems like a smart cookie."

"He is. An extremely sharp duelist by any measure, and a good friend as well." I reply.

"Bastion is too skeptical, he would never believe us. He will need proof before he believes anything." Alexis countered.

"How else would he explain my injuries? He'll believe me." I say tiredly. Even if he didn't accept the existence of the supernatural now, he would later when the shadow riders invaded Duel Academy by night and started reaping souls.

Zane scoffed. "If you wish. I don't find Misawa to be very remarkable. He seems to believe that this game and its players can be reduced to mere numbers."

"Bastion is a trustworthy man, and he is more skilled than you give him credit for."

Zane regarded me testily- clearly he was not expecting me to rebuke him. "Very well then. But make sure he keeps it a secret." With that, he swept from the room.

Alexis gazed after Zane, fraught with concern. Erin smiled crookedly at me, her arms crossed as she leaned against the wall.

"Jamie, try to be patient. Zane isn't used to people questioning him." Alexis softly rebuked.

I didn't acknowledge that. I didn't care if she thought I was an asshole. I'm on my second life, I just got put through the wringer by a duel monster spirit, and I'm done putting up polite facades, especially around the likes of Zane. "If you run into Bastion, please tell him about this. He's my friend."

She regarded me sadly before walking out, presumably to go inform everyone else about the day's tumultuous events. Erin was the last visitor left in my ward.

"I always hate it when injuries keep me laid up in a hospital bed. I'd rather be in the water, you know? I remember when I was a little kid, I broke my leg and couldn't surf for nearly eight months. It was unbearable at the time, but it made that first session back in the water all the better." She said, trying to lighten the mood. I appreciated the effort, but unfortunately I had to ask her a serious question.

"You believe me, right?"

She shrugged. "It's the only explanation that makes any kind of sense. But I'd believe you anyways. I bet it was a hell of a fight, huh?" She smiled. I smiled back. She really seemed to like me, and I would soon have to make a decision about where our relationship would be going. At least there would be less drama with her than there would be with most other girls in the school. I had to consider how Alexis felt about this as well.

"Yeah, yeah it was. I have to admit, even though I was on the verge of death at numerous points throughout the fight, some part of me was excited. Not in a bloodthirsty way, but…well, I don't know." _I felt alive again_. Obviously I didn't want to voice that part out loud.

Surprisingly, she nodded in understanding. "I've never been in a duel like that…I thought they were just legends. Still, I understand the feeling of pressure, and how it starts to feel good after a while." An unspoken meaning passed between the two of us, and I found myself curious. Where did she get this viewpoint from?

"I don't suppose you'd mind telling Bastion, would you? I don't get the feeling Zane will, and Alexis might just follow his lead, like she always does." I snarked.

"Sure thing. Now rest up, I'll see you in a few days." She gave me a two-fingered salute and a wink before leaving.

Smiling contentedly, I relaxed my head against the pillow and felt myself drift off.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. I know this was a fat chapter, haha. The next one won't be so long.**

 **First off, I just wanted to thank you all for your continued amazing support. We just passed 100 follows, which is amazing since GX is a semi-dead fandom. Perhaps the inclusion of GX in Duel Links could draw more people to the archive and this fic. I know I've been enjoying the game lately, idk if any of you guys play it. Anyways, thank you so much for your support, it's great to know that people are interested in and enjoying the story.**

 **I've been considering switching the rating of the story to M just to be safe...that's not to say that the story's getting uberdark any time soon, but I might just do it now rather than later. If you have any opinion on that, let me know.**

 **With this chapter, the long-time question has been answered; Jamie cannot see duel spirits in the same way that Jaden, Chazz, Jesse can. He could see Jinzo because that particular spirit absorbed the electricity and the souls of the three Obelisks, but Jamie cannot normally see Winged Kuriboh or the Ojamas. This was a tough decision when I was first outlining this fic. I had a lot of ideas- making Marshmallon Jamie's companion, or even making Jinzo Jamie's duel spirit to create a sort of Kyuubi/Naruto dynamic.**

 **Ultimately, I decided on this. I'm of the opinion that having too many characters able to see duel spirits would make the ability less special. It's just like the Super Saiyans in DBZ- the ability was only really cool when a few characters (specifically Goku/Vegeta/Future Trunks/Gohan) could do it, not when every Saiyan could. Besides, Jamie already has a very unique ability in the form of his canon knowledge and experience playing the card game. I felt that giving him the power to see duel spirits would edge him closer to OP/Mary Sue status. This wasn't an easy decision, and I'm sure it won't be an overwhelmingly popular one, but hopefully you can understand my thought process.**

 **On another note, I hope you guys liked me fleshing out more of Jinzo's character and backstory, tying in a few Dark World plot elements in there. The circumstances of the war between the Dark World and the rest of the Duel Spirits will be explored much further down the line, but I thought I'd lay some vague groundwork here. It always surprised me that the whole Jinzo situation was over and done with after one episode- I get that it was filler, but realistically wouldn't Academy students knowing how to summon Duel Spirits through a ritual have some bearing on canon events? idk. Either way, Jinzo will one day return to wreak his revenge.**

 **Next chapter, Jamie gets a part-time job, Alexis deals with an unwelcome suitor, and Jaden receives an anonymous warning.**


	7. Out of Bounds

Chapter 7: Out of Bounds

The burns healed more slowly than expected, so I was forced to take the next Monday off, which I didn't mind as it let me skip Crowler's class.

Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley came by on Sunday morning, each of them carrying some munchies (approved by the hospital staff, of course) with them. With a start, I realized that I hadn't seen them since the day I dueled Chazz...which was about a week ago. Between the initiation into Obelisk Blue and my duel with Jinzo, it felt like several months had passed since then.

They each showed varying degrees of surprise when they had heard of the fight with Jinzo. Chumley was oddly contemplative, and I couldn't figure out why until I remembered that he had a duel spirit as well- the Des Koala monster. I had completely forgotten that fact earlier, and I couldn't help but wonder if Chumley had hidden abilities similar to the ones Jaden displayed in canon. The thought itself was somewhat humorous, that this pudgy comic relief side character had similar potential to the protagonist of the story.

"Crazy…I never would have imagined that duel spirits could be so vicious." Jaden murmured.

"We'll have to be careful from now on…it seems like anything can trigger the summoning of these spirits. And to think that they might be coming more frequently now! It's all so frightening…" Syrus moaned.

"They seem strong…so I guess we'll just have to make ourselves stronger! Unfortunately, it's going to be hard to do that if we're wasting time on the damn tennis unit in gym class…" Jaden replied, sighing dramatically.

"You seemed to enjoy the game on Saturday." I pointed out blandly, my mind swimming through a haze of painkillers.

"It's not bad. I mainly did it because Alexis wanted to." Jaden said.

"Got you whipped already, huh?" I chuckled haphazardly. Chumley snorted at that, while Jaden merely laughed in that zen way of his, not fazed at all by the implications of my comment. He definitely was an unusual kid for his age; most adults never developed such a detached, confident demeanor, but he wore it like a second skin.

"Speaking of tennis, we better get going to class if we're going to get changed in time." Syrus, ever conscientious, reminded the group.

Glancing at his watch, Jaden nodded. "See ya later, Jamie! I hope you feel better soon! We'll tell you if anything funny happens in gym!" With that, the Slifer trio departed. With a chuckle, I laid my head back into my soft pillow and drifted off to a dreamless, hazy sleep.

As it turned out, something funny did happen in gym class, or at least I found it to be funny. I wheezed with laughter as Alexis complained nonstop for nearly thirty minutes about the advances of one Harrington Rosewood, an Obelisk Blue who seemed to be less interested in Duel Monsters than he was in other games, such as tennis and courtship.

"Ugh, first Jaden acts like an idiot all day, getting another detention from Crowler…honestly, does he have any sense at all!? Then, that smarmy prick Rosewood tries to be smooth with me, as if I can't see what he's doing from sixteen miles away. God, I would rather deal with ten vengeful duel spirits than the stupidity of boys sometimes…" She ranted and raved, before realizing that she was speaking to a boy. "Sorry." She said in a way that suggested she wasn't really sorry at all. I could tell she was angry- the lofty ice queen of Obelisk Blue was rarely so foul-mouthed.

"Apology accepted." I replied, equally sarcastic. "Well, why don't you try your luck with this tennis prodigy? He's good-looking, romantic, and most importantly, rich. Unless he has a poor attitude to rival John McEnroe, I'm sure the other girls in Obelisk Blue are practically salivating to snatch him up." Normally, I would be annoyed by her whining, but since I had relatively little entertainment in the hospital outside of Wheel of Fortune reruns, I decided to roll with it.

Alexis snorted, turning to gaze out the window above my bed. Outside, white sheets hung on clotheslines, and the fresh smell of clean linen was carried in alongside the breeze. "They are. And most are after his money, although I'm sure his looks help. If they studied with the same intensity as they looked for a rich man, they'd all be the finest scholars the world had ever seen."

I knew Alexis was highly conscientious and ambitious herself, but I never imagined she would be so hostile towards gold diggers. I suppose the idea of living off another person's accomplishments was intolerable to someone as driven as her. "I take it you aren't interested in his advances, then?"

"No… it's hard to describe, but I just get this feeling like there's nothing there, underneath the clothes, the body, the expensive things." She murmured. I stayed silent, beckoning her to elaborate.

"It's already so difficult to meet genuine people…ever since I was a kid. Back then, we just played games, and that was enough. Then…as I got older, the boys wanted to play different games. The girls soon wanted little to do with me, such was the extent of their jealousy. I was lucky to have my brother, and Zane. They never asked for anything from me, they were just glad to be with me. And I was glad to be with them. That's what I want, really. I wish people wouldn't scheme and lie so much- what does it amount to in the end? The simple things in life are so much more meaningful."

This must have been stewing in her for a long time- that's the only reason I could think of for why this all came pouring out in an ordinary conversation. Hers was the struggle of many beautiful girls I had come across in my life. She had scarcely known honest interaction with her peers- the boys only humored her because they desired her, while the girls schemed and plotted behind honeyed words. It was easy to become cold and detached after a lifetime of such dishonest social interaction. This must be the reason why she was so enamored with Jaden. A guy so genuine and spontaneous must be a breath of fresh air to her. Unfortunately, I felt old wounds from my past life, long crusted over with time, beginning to resurface. Hastily, I suppressed them _. "The past is gone."_

Coming to herself, Alexis scratched her head bashfully. "Sorry, I didn't mean to dump all that on you. You've got your own problems to deal with." She nodded at the bandages covering my upper body.

"It's nothing to worry about." I said quickly, all too glad to latch onto a new subject. "The nurses just told me I should be released on Wednesday afternoon." I paused, before adding, "and I know how you feel. My door is open to you if you ever want to talk."

She smiled wanly. "Yeah…thanks for listening. I'll come by later with your homework. Rest easy, Jamie." She glanced at me curiously before she left, on the verge of giving voice to a half-formed thought.

I couldn't stand the sight of the infirmary by the time Wednesday rolled around. After Fontaine had me perform a series of stretches and checked any of my previously burned areas for tenderness, I practically skipped out of there. Without the bandages, I felt wonderfully light and free, although a slight wobbliness lingered.

I managed to get caught up on the schoolwork I missed, although this was no great feat. In my past life, I was a reasonably well-educated individual, and I was more than capable of completing what was the equivalent of high school coursework. I nearly burst out laughing as I waded through the piles of papers Alexis brought me- organic chemistry and algebra sitting alongside the ever so complex mechanics of field spells was certainly amusing. Still, it was a relief to know that Kaiba included academic subjects as well as the stupid card game in his curriculum. At first, I wondered why such a cold and ruthless man would be interested in educating children, but then I remembered that Kaiba was established as having a soft spot for kids. Hell, just thinking of Seto Kaiba as a real, living person instead of a fictional character was still bizarre.

As classes were over for the day, I decided to return to my dorm. I would take a nice, long shower before heading off to the card shop to spend what meager currency I had. The shop always received a new shipment on the first Tuesday of the month at around five-thirty in the morning of that day. The new cards for the month of October would have come in while I was bedridden. I'm sure the ultra-competitive types had already bought most of the good cards, with Bastion and Erin leading the way. Still, at the very least it wouldn't hurt to see the new cards offered; that way, I could anticipate what my future competition would be using.

The new cards weren't particularly impressive; most of the cards were dragon support, with a few niche archetype support cards thrown in. A great many of the boys here played dragon themed decks, most likely because of the aesthetic appeal. Boys liked dragons, it was simply a fact of life. Lucky for them, dragon decks were also quite effective due to the ease in which most of them could special summon high level monsters. I expect many of them wished to emulate Kaiba as well, and I couldn't blame them. I anticipated facing more of them in the future.

To my surprise, there was also an influx of support for spellcasters- a much more unorthodox foe than dragons. I mentally noted to look out for those as well.

A cute clerk stood vigil at the counter, a bored expression on her face as she lazily did homework. Her straight brown hair was tied back in a ponytail behind a visor branded with the card shop logo. She wore a pink shirt tucked into high-waisted jeans. As I entered, she immediately snapped to attention. In the back of the shop, I caught sight of Dorothy recording inventory.

"Sorry, we don't have any of the new packs. We might have more tomorrow, but I don't know for sure…" The cashier said, predicting my request.

"That's fine. I just need an updated price catalog with all the new cards." I leaned against the counter, still feeling a bit ill. Behind the counter, I saw that Dorothy and a few other employees were unpacking some banners and card boxes. The sweet old lady caught my eye, and swiftly approached me.

"Hey, you're Jamie Lancaster, right?" She asked. I nodded hesitantly, wondering where she had heard of me before. At my expression, she chortled softly. "You're not in trouble or anything. I just wanted to let you know that Bastion Misawa was looking for you. I think he's back at the Ra Yellow dorm now."

"Ah, thank you." I said distractedly. I wondered whether or not Jaden did as I said and informed Bastion of the supernatural fights to come. Only one way to find out, really. "Have you seen Jaden Yuki in here today? Sorry to keep you playing telephone, but I have a pressing matter to discuss with him."

At this, she and the other girl at the counter starting laughing. "Apparently Doctor Crowler gave Jaden detention for the week for hitting him with a tennis ball during gym class. I hear he's a ball boy for Harrington Rosewood now. Isn't that rich?!" Dorothy explained.

"I'm sure he's the envy of many girls in that class right now." I grinned.

"Oh, he sure is." The counter girl said with a blush as she handed me the card catalog.

"Well, thank you both. I think I know what I'm doing this afternoon." On the way out, I picked up a Rosewood Sporting Goods magazine as well.

I thumbed through the catalog while my feet took me to the Ra Yellow dorms. It still astounded me that these cards were so expensive, and I played competitively! People call this a children's card game, but there's no way a kid could afford good cards at the prices listed in this magazine. Hell, there was no way I could pay for them!

Suddenly, it dawned on me that I had no money to my name. I suppose I could write my "parents" and ask them for some extra spending money, but I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that. They're already paying for me to go to this school, I didn't want to squeeze their coffers too tightly. Just thinking of them made me uncomfortable- looks like the holidays are going to be a blast this year!

Perhaps there part-time jobs I could apply for on the island. I know that the girl at the card shop was a student, and there were a few shops on the island that could most likely use some extra help. I thought about applying to the coffee shop, have a go at being a sassy barista. I would consider my options later. Maybe Crowler could point me in the right direction- as my head of house, it was his job to consult me on any questions I might have.

Bastion was home, luckily. As per usual, he was scribbling away on a notebook, doing math homework this time. I wondered idly how many seconds it took him to power through an average calc assignment. I'd be willing to bet the guy spends more money on notebooks than he does cards with the way he burns through paper!

"Sorry to interrupt your homework. I know how you get when you build up a head of steam." I chuckled.

"It's no problem, Jamie." Bastion rose from his chair and gave me a solid handshake. "You look strong."

"Thank you. The burns healed quickly- you should see the other guy!" I joked weakly, knowing that it was time to tell him the news.

"So I've heard…you fought the duel spirit of Jinzo in that library." Bastion said gravely, his arms tightly crossed.

"Jaden told you?" I said. He silently nodded, his expression inscrutable. "Do you believe me?"

"You have no reason to lie…that I know of. Something gave you those electrical burns, and you don't seem the type to play around in a fuse box without knowing what you're doing. But to suggest that duel spirits really exist…I'm not sure about that." Bastion said. His uncertainty was characteristic of a scientist, as was his skepticism. I would have had a hard time believing it as well, were I in his position. It was frustrating, but not unmanageable.

"Look, all I want to tell you is to be careful. Carry your best deck around at all times and be ready to fight or flee at a moment's notice. You don't have to believe my talk about spirits and ghosts- you'll see the truth soon enough. I just want you to have fair warning." I say shortly.

"Look, it's not that I don't trust you, it's just that this all seems so bizarre. There's little evidence regarding the existence of duel spirits, and one just shows up out of the blue here? Surely you can agree with me that this a bit much to take in." Bastion argued.

"Think about it. The supernatural has always bubbled beneath the surface of this world. Yugi Moto didn't wear the Millennium Puzzle around for kicks- he did it because it had the soul of an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh within it." I retort.

"Don't tell me you believe that rubbish. Yugi is the greatest duelist this world has ever seen, but it's not because of some ancient spirit inhabiting his body. Your claiming of such a thing undermines his accomplishments." Bastion said while arching an eyebrow. Oh, if only he knew…

"What about the god cards, then? Don't you remember how powerful they were in the Battle City tournament? They were even inscribed on an Egyptian stone tablet!" At this point, I was growing desperate.

"Pegasus was inspired to create the cards based on the Egyptian tablets, everyone knows this. It is odd that he only created one copy of each one and they haven't been sighted in ten years…but I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for that." Bastion said dismissively. At this point I'm pretty sure that he was fucking with me.

Giving him a wry look, I decided to let the matter rest. The bastard would know how real I was soon enough. "Alrighty then. Just store your damn deck on you at all times, ok? And while you're at it, keep your head on a swivel. Call it a favor."

Giving me an annoyingly skeptical look, he finally assented. "I'll stay vigilant, out of favor to you." He said carefully.

 _"It's your own safety that's at risk!"_ I thought with no small amount of frustration. "Thanks." Was all I said out loud. It would seem that Bastion would remain unconvinced on this matter. I thought intellectual types like him were all about keeping an open mind, but whatever. Moving the conversation to safer waters, I brought up the upcoming school duel.

"Yes, I've heard rumblings about it as well. I hear a delegate from North Academy will be traveling here at the end of term to duel our school's best student. The winning school sees a year's worth of good publicity, and usually higher enrollment rates as well." Bastion always sounded like a wikipedia article given flesh.

"Everyone loves a winner, I suppose." I say with a shrug.

"They certainly do, but it only makes sense. The parents are the ones tuned in the most- they want to know the best school to send their child to." He replied.

"Who usually wins the matchup?" I ask out of sheer curiosity.

"North Academy has only beaten Central Duel Academy once since this school has been created. You see, we rotate which school we're facing each year. Last year, Zane Truesdale beat a representative from South Academy named Axel Brodie. The year before that he prevailed against North Academy in swift fashion. I expect Zane will defeat whomever North Academy sends our way this time- you of all people should know how good of a duelist he is." Bastion said.

"Don't remind me." I grumble. "So you don't think anyone else has a shot of playing in the school duel?"

"There's no logical reason why Sheppard wouldn't bet on his winning horse. This is a fierce matter of pride to him- I hear he has quite the little rivalry with the Chancellor of North Academy."

"Oh, does he? Why?" I asked for the hell of it.

At this, Bastion struggled to keep his laughter under control. "Rumor has it they both are in love with Miss Dorothy."

I burst out laughing- I didn't remember that little tidbit from canon. I forgot how funny the series was in the early episodes due to the rather pervading darkness of Season 3, but there's no doubt it was. "You've gotta be kidding me! The Miss Dorothy at the card shop? Who told you that?"

The Ra Yellow prodigy shrugged. "I have my sources. And yes, it is that same Dorothy. Anyways, why do you ask? Were you thinking of trying to compete?"

"Hell no. I don't need any media attention." Or any undue jealousy from other students. Torrey apparently attempted to resurrect Jinzo as a way of getting a leg up on me. Since then, it's occurred to me that I should start flying under the radar a little more now that I've achieved my goal of rising to Obelisk Blue. Jaden or Zane could handle Chazz just as they could have in canon.

I hadn't thought about the Princeton heir much since his departure from the island. I always assumed that he would return to the academy for the inter-school duel, and would stay after his inevitable defeat. But I suppose things didn't necessarily have to happen as they did in the anime. I wouldn't know until I saw him again. I hoped he wouldn't hold too terrible of a grudge, but this is Chazz I'm talking about. That guy never forgot a slight.

"I thought perhaps you or Jaden would want to." I finished after some thought.

Bastion leaned against his freshly painted walls. "I suppose I could…it would be a good way of distinguishing myself and perhaps get into Obelisk Blue while I'm at it. I fear I wouldn't be able to compete with Zane for the representative position."

"Just ask him about it, or Sheppard. I think it would be great for you." I knew I wouldn't have to convince him that much since he decided to go for it in canon as well. I had to admit, I really didn't have to make that many changes to the timeline so far, but I knew that would change soon once the real evils began descending from the shadows. For now, I was content just living in this world and taking it all in. It was really starting to become comfortable.

My main message delivered, I made my way to the tennis courts. Along the way, I looked through the Rosewood sporting goods magazine. Their products looked well-made, but they were far too expensive. These were the sorts of things that rich kids would buy purely for the sake of fashion. Looking at the back of the catalog, I saw that they had a location at Duel Academy…an idea began forming in my head as I absentmindedly leapt the gate and entered the courts. Sure enough, Jaden was still serving his detention with Harrington Rosewood. It must have been rather annoying- for all his calm normally, Jaden appeared to be nearing his wits end.

Meanwhile, Harrington looked completely unruffled- he wasn't even sweating! Good lord Jaden, at least make him try! I awkwardly walked over to the court, but neither of them was paying me any attention.

Suddenly, a stray hit by Harrington sent a tennis ball my way. "Watch out!" I heard him call. I caught the ball with both hands before it went flying over my head.

"Woah, nice catch!" Harrington said, scratching his auburn hair. Wow, he really did sound like Sonic the Hedgehog. "Hey, you're the new Obelisk Blue! Your name's Jim, right?"

"It's Jamie." I say while throwing the ball back to him. "You're Harrington Rosewood, correct?"

"The one and only! But my friends call me Harry." He said, flashing a twinkling smile. "Now if you don't mind, I'm just overseeing this Slifer's detention. Thanks for catching the ball." And just like that, he was ready to serve again. Jaden groaned, white-knuckling his racket.

"How's it going, Jaden? Alexis told me the whole story." I ask. Man, Jaden didn't look so hot. His eyes were unfocused, and there were noticeable bags under his eyes. The guy probably didn't get enough sleep last night.

"Well-" Jaden began before Harrington cut him off. "Wait, you know Alexis Rhodes?!" He exclaimed, his eyes alight with suspicion.

"That's right." I replied. "We know each other _very_ well. She stayed by my bedside while I was in the infirmary." I added with a smirk, wanting to rile him up.

"What exactly do you mean by that?! Are you two going out?!" He roared, throwing his racket to the ground and getting right up in my face.

"No, we aren't. As far as I know, she's currently single, although the only way to know for sure is to ask her yourself…" I said calmly. The triggered tennis player cast a paranoid glance to Jaden and then to me. For what it was worth, Jaden just looked happy to have a break.

"You should ask her for me. I need to finish putting this Slifer Slacker through his paces, ya know?" He demanded.

I decided then and there that I didn't particularly like Harrington Rosewood. But whether or not I liked him was irrelevant. If I played this right, I could get a pretty lucrative part-time job out of this, and that meant money to buy good cards down the road.

"Since you asked so nicely, I will ask her for you…as long as you do something for me in return." My voice was icy cold, and some trepidation could be seen in his grey eyes as he slowly nodded. I had no doubt that Alexis would be pissed at me later, but hey it wouldn't be the first time a girl's been pissed at me by a long shot.

"Don't look at me like that, I was just wondering if Rosewood Sporting Goods had any entry level positions open. You know, stocking, inventory, cashier, or something like that. I'd really like to get a part-time job around here." I chirped, enjoying watching him deflate.

"Oh, that's all? Uh, I can check with one of the managers for you tonight, once he clocks out." Harrington answered with bluster, relieved that my demands were modest.

"Excellent. Let's exchange numbers so that you can update me when you find out." I whipped out my phone and pulled up the contacts menu. Harrington quickly entered in his number and I sent a verification text. For his sake, I hoped he didn't pull any "enter in the wrong number by 'mistake'" or "just add me on facebook" bullshit. If I had a nickel for every time a girl did that to me…I'd have ten cents. Still, twice was a pattern, and I was suspicious of him nonetheless.

"Sure thing. I'll expect you to let me know when Alexis wants to go out with me." The cocky tennis player replied. I smirked- how dense could he be? Even Jaden, with his inconsistent social skills, could tell that Alexis disdained Harrington. I suppose love tends to be blinding like that- lust even more so.

"I'm only going to speak on your behalf after a job interview date is confirmed." I amend.

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Just put in a good word for me, alright man? We Obelisk boys have to stick together, am I right?" He said, affecting a chumminess I certainly did not feel.

"Right. Now if you don't mind, I need to talk to Yuki." I said shortly, having grown tired of this conversation.

Luckily, Harrington's interest in punishing Jaden seemed to have waned now that he knew Alexis was unattached. "You can have him." He said dismissively. "I'll let you know about the job as soon as I can!"

"Pleasure doing business with you, Harry!" I shook his sweaty hand and he left, presumably to go to Rosewood Sporting Goods. I prayed that he would shower before he talked to the manager.

Jaden dropped the racket like it had just come out of the oven. "Thanks, Jamie. Man, that guy was really starting to get on my nerves…I don't get what his problem is with me!" He complained.

"It seems he thought you and Miss Rhodes were romantically involved." I reply.

"What? No way! Alexis and I aren't going out, that's obvious!" He said, frustrated.

"I don't know, man. Look at it this way, the semester will be over in about a month, and you might not have gym with him next term. Then, you won't ever have to deal with him again."

"I'm not gonna lie, I want to duel him, just to knock him down a peg." Jaden said aggressively.

"I've seen his deck, it's pretty bad. He uses tennis themed cards, long story short. You would beat him no problem. But still, there's no reason to pick at small wounds. Ignoring him is the best revenge." I say as we walk out of the complex.

Jaden nodded in agreement. "I suppose there's no reason to sweat the small stuff. So, why do you want to work at Rosewood Sporting Goods?" His casual demeanor appeared to have returned, although he still seemed really exhausted for some reason.

"Just wanna get some extra money for cards." I shrug.

"Yeah, you seem like the kinda guy who's always got an eye on the market. Not my style, but it's worked for you so far." The Slifer Red prodigy said with a yawn. He looked thoughtful for a moment, before saying, "I wonder why all the guys here want Alexis so badly."

Giving a sideways glance, I responded, "Come on dude, even you have to admit she's quite the beauty. Frankly, I'm surprised you two aren't an item."

Jaden shook his head. "I don't know…just never felt that way. Part of me knows that I should be attracted to her…but I'm just not. She's a good friend, I love her…but not that way. Love's weird." He looked as though he had never really pondered this before- the words seemed to tumble off his tongue as half-formed thoughts.

"Have you ever felt that way towards…anyone else?" I ask hesitantly. Maybe the Spiritshipping fangirls were right all along and he is gay. Man, this conversation took a turn!

"No…never." He nearly whispered, his brown eyes murky with confusion. He was looking really on edge- the subject of love seemed to make him uncomfortable. Just seeing him like this was strange- I wondered why he was acting this way. Hopefully he was just in a bad mood because of the detentions, but I decided to cut this off before things got ugly.

"Hey, no need to feel bad about it. I was just curious. Seriously, don't worry about it." I said quickly. I was a bit of a hypocrite for telling him not to worry, because inwardly I was worrying my ass off.

Perhaps it wasn't that Jaden didn't fell that way towards anyone, but that he couldn't feel that way towards anyone…except for one. My eyes widened as the hated name rose to the forefront of my brain- _Yubel_. Just the thought of the demon disgusted me. On some level, I realized that her crusade against the light of destruction was necessary and even just- I fully intended to destroy that particular abomination as well. I also realized that Yubel was corrupted to a degree by the light's influence. But her obsession with Jaden caused him pain. The people who came between Yubel and her prized prince tended to come down with a bad case of death, and this was long before she ever felt the Light's influence. Jaden grew up a lonely boy because she couldn't stand anything less than his fullest affections...how dare she! There wasn't enough evidence that Yubel was a truly benevolent force for me to trust her…or perhaps the proper pronoun was them? I wasn't sure. Who knows, perhaps she only loves him in a completely platonic way, like brother and sister. Pssh, yeah right! Sounds like wishful thinking to me.

Besides, it wasn't fair that Jaden's desires were influenced by the feelings of his past…reincarnation, I guess? The idea bothered me. Jaden wasn't the same as the Supreme King, they were raised in two different worlds and their personalities diverged accordingly. Then again…if Yubel was destroyed, perhaps Jaden would be freed from the shackles of the past.

"I think that Erin's into you, though." Jaden said, snapping me out of my brooding. Barking out a laugh, I said, "Yeah…I still have to see where we stand. She's a cutie though." Mentally, I decided to devote more thought to Yubel and how to deal with her later.

"Well, here's your chance- I see her over by the beach again." Jaden pointed over to the coast. With a start, I realized that we had walked all the way to the Slifer Red dorms. My thinking had distracted me completely from my surroundings.

"I think you're right. I'll catch you later, Jaden." I said with a two-fingered wave.

"Best of luck, Jamie." Jaden replied with a smirk before he made his way to the showers. Again, I was left to wonder just _how_ clueless that boy was. How much did he really know about these matters? Jaden was proving to be a more layered person than even I could have expected.

Then I saw Erin, and Jaden Yuki was the furthest thing from my mind. I was starting to think she looked her best after a surf, when her hair was windswept and her cheeks flushed. Taking a deep breath, I locked eyes with her and advanced.

With a toothy grin, Erin Reid wasted no time in kissing me as soon as she was within reach. She seemed to have a bit more confidence than Alexis, at least! Or perhaps it was recklessness, madness, stupidity.

"I thought you would never come see me." She whispered as we embraced.

"Well, I just got out of the infirmary this afternoon." I said with a wry laugh.

"Excuses, excuses…" She said with a similar giggle. After a moment, she added, "I can tell you're back at full strength; you have that look about you again."

"What look is that, exactly?"

"Like a cat that caught the canary."

Sighing, I scratched the back of my head and prepared to tell the story. "It's nothing major. I made a deal with Harrington Rosewood today."

"Ha! I can't imagine the two of you getting along; you're too similar." She jibed.

"In that case, why don't you go bother him?" I couldn't resist the opportunity to spar with her before continuing on with my story.

"I like men who can actually compete with me, in duels and…other endeavors. I'm pretty sure my pet dog back home could beat Harrington in a duel. He's a Golden Retriever in case you're curious."

"Basic. Anyways, he's going to be clinching me a position stocking shelves at Rosewood Sporting Goods. Apparently it pays pretty well for an entry-level part time job, so I can continue funding my addiction to good cards." I said.

"And what are you giving him in return? Sexual favors?"

"Well, he wants me to set him up with Alexis, so in a roundabout way yes. I've never seen a man rush headlong to the gallows before, but this has to be the modern equivalent." I said with another chuckle. Erin was a lot smarter than she seemed.

"Took the words right out of my mouth, Jamie. I just hope she doesn't kill the messenger. Alexis can be a cold bitch when it comes to shooting down guys. I still haven't gotten her to duel me yet, but I bet I'm tougher than her!"

Erin's using the word cold forcibly brought images of the White Queen to the forefront of my mind. Those soulless, blank hazel eyes…I could never allow the image in my mind's eye to become real. Never. Shuddering, I told her "You have no idea how cold she can be."

"Still, it sounds like you got the better end of the deal. Come on, let's go eat. I'm sure you're tired of hospital food." Erin suddenly grabbed my hand and we were off. Chuckling, I couldn't help but think that she was more than I could handle. I guess there was only one way to find out though…

The next day, Harrington told me that a stockboy position was in fact needed over at the department store. It was good news, and as long as Alexis didn't kill me, I stood to gain much from it.

The whole day, I went through my classes feeling as though the task before me was following me around, never giving me a moment's peace. At four in the afternoon, I sought out Alexis immediately, knowing that she was out of class for the day.

I didn't find her at first, but a quick word from Professor Banner (the shifty bastard- there's another one to keep an eye on) told me that she was in the Obelisk Arena completing a practice duel against Mindy, or was it Jasmine? Whatever, it was one of those two girls.

As anyone with a brain could have guessed, Alexis soundly defeated her opponent (who turned out to be Jasmine). She was a proud queen in victory, her expression haughty even towards a girl who was supposedly her friend. The match was proctored by Fontaine, who gave me a glowing smile when she saw me walking good as new. Alexis did the same. Jasmine, on the other hand, seemed to regard me with some level of suspicion- I idly wondered why that was.

"How are you, Jamie?" Alexis said in that calm, caring way.

"I'm fine at the moment, Alexis…are you busy? I'd like a word in private." I said as clinically as I could. It didn't stop Fontaine from giggling and Jasmine's frown from deepening.

Alexis, for her part, shrugged. "Sure. I'll catch you later, Jasmine." She put her cards away and we began walking downstairs to the front entrance of the main class building. Most of the students were either leaving or were soon to leave, and the hallways were crowded. I tried to find a relatively empty area, but there were none to be found. I could tell she was beginning to grow impatient, so I grabbed her arm and guided her into an empty classroom.

"You know, if someone sees the two of us in an empty classroom, they might get ideas." She said, sounding surprised but not altogether displeased. I set my backpack down on one of the student desks, readying myself to drop the bomb. Oops, probably shouldn't be using idioms like that in a school building!

"Let them have their ideas. The lion doesn't concern itself with the opinion of the sheep." Of course, considering that I was currently worrying greatly about Alexis' opinion in this instance, I was a bit of a hypocrite. Still, it's a damn good quote.

"Who said that? I know you didn't come up with it yourself." She said inquisitively.

"I believe it was some king or noble back in medieval times, read it in a history book once." I say evasively. "Anyways, I have something important to tell you, and you have to promise not to get mad at me, ok?"

She arched an eyebrow, sitting cross-legged on the edge of one of the desks. "Hey, the lion still cares about the opinions of other lions." I cover my tracks less gracefully than I would have hoped. Then and there, I decide to let the cat out of the bag.

"Harrington Rosewood wants me to put in a good word. Well, actually he really wants to go on a date with you, and he wants me to ask you on his behalf." I spew out in one breath.

Her dry expression remains unchanged. "Did you lose a duel against him, or…?"

"No, of course not. He's getting me a well-paying job at Rosewood Sporting Goods, and in exchange I have to ask you on a date. I mean, I have to ask for him to go on a date with you." What the hell is going on? This ridiculous situation is making me act like a nervous schoolboy! "I also got Jaden out of detention."

"I wonder why he thought that was a good idea. Also, this really isn't worth all the secrecy. You made it sound like you were about to tell me you were a vampire, or a time-traveler or something." She said, getting a bit too close to the truth.

"I don't know, for some reason he thought we were going out because you visited me while I was in the ward."

"Really, I can't visit a guy in the hospital unless we're dating, is that it?!" Her voice rose, and she stood up in indignation. "God, I hate it when rumors spread around like this! I'm here to learn, not to be part of some childish gossip! Why do guys always think there's some kind of romantic intrigue going on with me!?"

"It's because you're beautiful." I said without thinking. Her eyes snapped to mine, alight with anger.

"There's no use denying it. You try to hide it, but you're a natural beauty. You said it yourself, it causes others to be jealous because they're not as beautiful as you, or they're not with you." I add. What a foolish thing to say! Alexis hates it when others see her only for her looks. "It's their fault, they're shortsighted. They'll only see what they want to see, no matter what you do. The people that really matter know that you're so much more than that."

"I can't just ignore them….you don't understand. It's not that easy."

I sigh and smile. "You have good friends, people who are really in your corner. You have Zane, Jaden, Syrus…they want to see you happy and successful." I say. Man, I really didn't expect the conversation to get so deep. Then again, I think I've made enough bad predictions to conclude that maybe I'm just not very smart.

"You're right…" She suddenly grabbed my hands, and I felt frozen.

"I'm lucky to have good friends like Jaden…and you. You're two are so brave. And neither of you have ever let silly gossip affect you. I won't let it affect me again." She said, but I doubted her resolve was true judging by the way her voice trembled and her grip on my hands tightened. "Sorry for venting, Jamie. You're just trying get a job and here I am, dumping my problems on you again."

It is weird that she's gotten into these personal talks with me twice now in the same week. Then again, it didn't seem like most of her friends were very good with emotions. Mindy and Jasmine were too frivolous to ever really be serious about anything, whereas Zane had the opposite problem- the man was an emotional desert. Jaden was a good guy, but he didn't really "get" why people did things the way they did sometimes. Some part of his past as the Supreme King probably had something to do with how "off" he could be at times.

I do not claim to be good with heart-to-heart talks, but with competition like this, it looks like I was going to be that guy, whether I liked it or not. "So that's a no on the date then?"

Alexis looked confused for a second before remembering. "Oh, Harrington. Yeah, no. Tell him to leave me alone."

"Come on, can't you just grab coffee with him one time? It would be a big help." I ribbed as we walked out of the now mostly empty academy building.

Giving me a devious look, she went below the belt. "Speaking of dates, I hear you and Erin are starting to look a bit like a couple. Care to give me the official story?"

"I don't know what the hell I did, she's just into me for some reason. Not that I'm complaining, Erin seems like a really great girl…she could probably do better, to be honest." I say with a helpless shrug. I didn't plan on getting entangled with any relationships…I had some misfortune with those back in my first life. But I guess now's as good a time as any to try again- I'm technically not the same person I was back then, although I kinda was. Whatever, it was enough for a new beginning!

Alexis laughed. "You know, for someone so cocky in a duel, you sell yourself short. I think you two would look great together." She said, raking her eyes up my form. I felt my cheeks flush. Was she into me, or was she just teasing? This was definitely not my area of conversational expertise.

"What about you? Who do you think you'd look great with?" I couldn't resist the opportunity to mess with her, even though I knew damn well she didn't have a boyfriend.

"Umm…I don't know….I'm really more interested in dueling right now…" She said less than gracefully.

"Hmm, who is 'dueling'? He sounds like a real tough guy. I hope 'dueling' doesn't mind me talking to you alone like this." I say facetiously.

"You know what I mean, you goof!" She laughed, hitting my arm. As we approached the dorms, I bid her goodbye and prepared to call Harrington. Her gaze lingered on me for a moment- I could feel it behind me. Again, she wanted to say something, but the right words weren't there. If she kept waiting for the right thing to say, she would wait forever.

Despite being the bearer of bad news, I strangely didn't feel particularly sad for Harrington. He picked up on the first ring. The image of him staring at the phone, waiting for it to ring was so hilarious that I was sorely tempted to burst out laughing when he answered. Struggling mightily, I made my voice somber.

"Rest in peace, bro. Alexis is really not into you. She actually got pissed at me just for bringing up the idea." I said, not able to suppress my smile. Good thing we weren't talking face-to-face.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me!" Harrington yelled. "I knew that I should have asked her myself!"

"She was very clear that she wanted nothing to do with you for the rest of her days on Earth. Those were her exact words. I'm not joking." I had to quickly obscure a stray giggle by pretending to cough.

"Fuck!" He roared again. "What did I do wrong?! We started out as Romeo and Juliet, only to end up in tragedy."

"Well, tis better to have loved and lost and all that bullshit. Anyways, it's not really that you did anything wrong." Although he actually did almost everything wrong. "She's just not interested, that's all. There's plenty of hot girls out there, plenty hotter than her." Ah, that was a bit of a lie, but oh well.

There was a long silence on the other end. For a moment, I thought that perhaps he had hung up. Then, he said, "Alright. Alright. This is fine. This is honestly fine. I never even liked her to begin with."

"That's the spirit, bro!" I stupidly gave him a thumbs up even though we were talking over the phone.

"You're right…there's plenty of fish in the sea. Alright, well thanks Jamie!"

"Just a second, asshole- I mean Harry. You said you would get me that job." I quickly interjected before the conniving little dick could hang up.

"Haha, oh right, I just forgot, that's all." Harrington said with a false chumminess. Yeah, sure you did pal. "I set up an interview for you on Saturday. You know where the shop is, right? To the northwest, right by the docks. Remember, you owe me big for this, Jamie!" He claimed.

"No, I don't. I agreed to ask Alexis on a date for you in exchange for you clinching me the interview. Those were the terms we agreed upon. By all accounts, we're even." I reminded him sternly.

"Huh? Oh, now that you mention it, that does sound familiar. I guess you're off the hook this time." He had the gall to respond with. God, I couldn't wait to stop talking to this asshole.

"Ok, great. Better luck next time, Harry."

"Wait, one more thing-" He attempted to get the last word, but his plan was foiled by my hanging up on him. Later, douche.

 **Jaden Yuki POV**

He tossed and turned beneath the thin sheets, his mind uncharacteristically unsettled. Normally, Jaden had no trouble getting a good night's sleep, but something had changed lately. Before, he could simply let his mind go blissfully blank, and drift off.

But now, he found that his mind was occupied by something else. Sounds. An other. In the twilight moments between sleeping and waking, he heard it call to him.

 _"Jaden…my love…it pains me to see you sleeping alone. You deserve someone who can be with you…someone to love you."_

With his eyes as wide as dinner plates, Jaden peered around the room wondering where the voice had come from. Syrus and Chumley were not here- where had they gone? Surely this had to be a dream. It just had to be.

"Who said that?" He whispered as softly as he could.

 _"Why don't you remember me? Why won't you return my love?"_

"There's nothing there…it's not real...I'm just having a bad dream, that's all." Jaden said to himself. He thought that if he spoke his desperate hope aloud, that the fear would go away. He was wrong.

 _"You cannot hide, my king. It is your destiny to be with me. Just as the planets spin, it is inevitable. One day, you shall sit upon a throne of darkness atop the bodies of our enemies, and you will know my words are true."_

Suddenly, images flashed unbidden in Jaden's mind. He saw Alexis Rhodes at the helm of a white-clad army, her hazel eyes soulless and cold as her snowy cape fluttered in the wind. Then he saw Jamie Lancaster, cutting someone down with an unknown group of monsters. Were those…idol singers? Jaden had never seen cards like those before. It was somewhat humorous to see his friend using such seemingly nonthreatening monsters, but the fierce look on Jamie's face was deadly serious.

Finally, there was someone he didn't recognize, a handsome boy with wild blue hair. His eyes were warm, as was his smile. Jaden immediately felt a kinship with him that he couldn't explain. And yet, he also felt fear. Behind the boy was an awe-inspiring dragon encrusted with jewels and diamonds. The dragon roared in his face, and Jaden knew that it was a duel monster with incredible power.

 _"Our enemies will do anything to keep us apart. Some are loathsome thieves who wish to steal away your love. They are unworthy swine who claim to be deserving of a king's affections."_ More images of Alexis and the teal-haired boy assaulted Jaden's consciousness. _"Crystal and ice… they are disgusting worms to be sure, but dealt with easily enough."_

 _"And then…there is him…"_ The voice was sickly sweet and cloying before, but now, Jaden noted with horror, the voice had darkened, twisted with raw hatred. Another image of Jamie appeared, his green eyes hard and unfeeling. Jaden was utterly frozen, sweat rolling down his forehead as he bravely tried to ward off whatever force was trying to invade his mind. It was painful…why was the pain real?

 _"Beware the lion!"_ The dark voice shrieked. _"The interloper from another dimension. He is a demon, intent on destroying us! I have seen his mind, and he will not rest until he has usurped your rightful place as ruler of the universe! Even now, he views the future as his alone to shape! He wants to control your every move!"_

Jaden couldn't take it anymore- he clutched the sides of his head and screamed. Maybe, if he screamed loudly enough, he would be able to drown out the poisonous words of this creature. Again, his hopes were in vain.

 _"No, they're my friends, I love them! And who's that blue-haired guy? I don't even know him!"_ Jaden thought in a flurry of confusion.

When Jaden thought the word 'love', he suddenly felt a twist of pain in his mind. " _Such a lonely boy…oh yes, I remember it clearly. You have such a large group of friends now, but it wasn't always that way, was it? I can almost forgive your foolish willingness to love, for you are ignorant of what true love is…as your loyal servant, it is my duty to show you."_

" _You will love no one else but me, Jaden. It is fate."_

Jaden had fallen off his bed, having curled up in the fetal position on the floor some time ago. He was utterly alone- where had his roommates gone? No, he couldn't stand it…he couldn't be alone again.

 _"Please go away…I'll do anything…"_ Jaden whimpered. The spirit of Winged Kuriboh appeared, trying to fight off the unknown assailant. He took in the appearance of his faithful spirit like a drowning man took in water.

 _"So brave…"_ The voice whispered, seemingly in his ears _. "Worry not, my king, I do not have the ability to love you properly yet…but I will soon. When the promised day comes, and darkness floods the realm, you will fall willingly into my arms. Alas, this is the end of our time together for now. The summoning of the duel spirit Jinzo has allowed me to reach you from beyond the stars…but the duel energy brought about by that spirit is fading quickly. We will meet again."_ The prophecy was spoken, and like a faucet being plugged, Jaden felt his mind mercifully clear again.

Suddenly, he awoke with a curdling scream.

"Jaden, what the hell was that!?" Syrus normally didn't swear, but hearing his friend shriek startled him greatly. Even Chumley was awoken by the noise.

As his breathing slowed and his hands stopped twitching, Jaden felt himself return to some sense of normalcy. "It's nothing, just a bad dream. Weird, I normally don't get those…" Jaden said shakily, a cold sweat on his skin.

"Must have been a really bad dream." Chumley said with a nervous chuckle. Syrus looked unconvinced.

"Yeah, honestly, that's it…must have been something like that." Jaden said. "Go back to sleep, you guys. There's nothing to worry about."

Slowly, they did, although Syrus looked at Jaden for a long time before finally assenting. Jaden was utterly exhausted, and fell asleep again as soon as he rolled back into bed. The spirit of Winged Kuriboh purred gently, trying to soothe him.

The following morning, he remembered nothing of his night terror, but for three words…

Beware the lion.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **How's that for a bit of mood whiplash, eh? For most of the chapter, you have romantic hijinks, cute dialogue, and overall a rather trivial day in the lives of our characters. Really, this was a bit of a breather chapter to catch up with everyone. Then, boom! Horrifying nightmare sequence out of nowhere with the literary equivalent of an RKO! Fun stuff.**

 **Jaden does not remember specifically Yubel's warning- it was a message communicated in a dream after all, and most dreams are forgotten within a few minutes of waking, even ones charged with duel energy like this one. I decided to take a liberty here and bring this scene about as a result of Jinzo's summoning, with the duel energy allowing Yubel to briefly reach Jaden from beyond the stars. I thought it would be a good way to have the Jinzo fight bring about some more lasting consequences for the cast. Hope you all found the explanation sufficient- the full extent of what duel energy is and what it can do was never explored fully in the series. Although Jaden does not remember the words Yubel spoke to him, besides that last warning: "Beware the Lion". Still, the dream will affect him in subtler ways. But what do those words mean? I'm really looking forward to developing Jaden's storyline as we go on. For a shonen protagonist, he's such a mysterious character in many ways.**

 **Otherwise, we see Harrington "Harry" Rosewood introduced in this chapter. He's not gonna be a major character in this story or anything, but he will make a few appearances in the future as a "friend" of Jamie's. I know people in real life just like this dude, so getting his personality down was a breeze...ugh. Anyways, I thought this would be a good plotline to get Jamie a part-time job to explain how he gets money for cards. Anyone who's played this ridiculous game in real life knows that good decks are not cheap, haha. Beyond that, this job might lead its way to plotlines in the future...I know it seems like a lot's going on, but I'm just trying to lay some groundwork. There's so much awesome stuff to happen later on...I can't wait for you all to see it! Anyways, I know that these Author's Notes are getting damn long...just skip em if you feel like.**

 **Next chapter, Jamie starts his new job, disguises are seen through, and new friendships are formed.**


	8. Loli Patrol

Chapter 8: Loli Patrol

Sighing, I heaved another box off the end of the ship, making my way down the galley and setting it in the back of Harrington's truck. Rosewood sporting goods was receiving a new shipment of polo shirts- in red, yellow, and blue! We also were unloading a palette of sod to put down around the shop, as well as some potted plants. Imagine the joy I felt upon hearing that that we did our own landscaping, although I suppose it's not exactly easy to hire the service out, being on an island and all.

I was handling the clothes shipment while a coworker by the name of Adam Sugihara was helping one of the deck workers load the sod onto a skid steer. He was a Ra Yellow sophomore who actually attended the same elementary school as Erin, although his family was originally from China. He was fluent in Chinese, Japanese and English, which I found quite impressive considering he was only sixteen. When I was sixteen (the first time around, that is) I was spending my spare time chasing skirts and playing video games, meanwhile this kid was trilingual.

Like me, Adam started working at Rosewood Sporting Goods in order to afford new cards, as he was planning to take his dueling skills as far as he could. He wasn't terrible; his problem was that he insisted on using cards with coin flip effects for reasons I could not fathom. A Gambling Duelist, he calls himself. Why one would make Duel Monsters even more luck-based is beyond me. In my opinion, he certainly had a ways to go as far as dueling was concerned. It's like he thought this was some kind of game or something!

Adam liked to make a lot of stupid bets, but I guess I couldn't really call him stupid because he tended to make a lot of money off of said bets. Duels, sports games, class rankings, elections- you name it, this guy has probably made a couple hundred off of the outcome. Even still, his winnings weren't enough to finance his habits of buying expensive cards and clothes. Perhaps one, but certainly not the other. He had good luck in duels as well, but it wasn't enough to beat me when we dueled a few days ago. Turns out a consistent strategy beats relying on coin flips! In other news, bears shit in the woods and water is wet!

"Adam!" I called. "I'm taking the shirts back. You guys got that sod?"

"Yeah, we got it Jamie. Let's lay this shit quick when we get back so we can get off early." He yelled down from the bow of the ship. Giving him a thumbs-up, I hopped in the truck and drove it up the hill with my cargo in tow. It was about a ten mile dirt road up to Rosewood Sporting Goods, so I imagined it wouldn't take too long to unload this stuff, lay the sod, then clock out. It was a Saturday afternoon, and I expected there would be many festivities occurring across the island as the sun went down.

The shop was usually pretty busy on Saturdays, but luckily I usually worked in the back, only ringing up customers when it was really busy. I only worked about fifteen hours a week here, wanting to hold on to a bit of freedom. So far, the manager was pretty cool with me setting my own hours for the most part. Adam and I were the only guys who consistently did inventory, so we got to know each other pretty well.

I got back, unloaded and hung up the shirts on a rack to be wheeled out to the storefront tomorrow. Then, I quickly went to the restroom and changed out of my normal work uniform- a black polo shirt with khaki pants- and donned a ratty cutoff shirt and gym shorts. Laying the grass was going to be dirty work and so different clothes were needed.

I waited about five minutes in the back of the store, enjoying a peaceful moment before Adam and the dock workers came up the hill.

Although it was rather unchallenging, menial work, I enjoyed it, or at the very least I enjoyed getting out of my head for a bit. I found that whenever I slowed down too much, my mind started to turn back to my old life, and from there it was all too easy to get lost in a haze of memories. Thinking about regrets long ago did nothing for anyone. I knew that no matter what, I could never reveal my secrets to anyone in this world. A lot of unusual things happen in the world of Yugioh, but my case might be a little beyond the pale. Besides, I wanted to be treated like anyone else would and forge my path here uninfluenced from my old life.

Soon enough, my colleague returned with a few guys who worked on the ship. They unloaded the sod and left us to unroll it. I suppose they were busy to the point where they had to sail again as soon as possible. I didn't envy them.

"Wanna bet how fast we can finish this up?" Adam said cheekily. He was around my height, with a runner's build and a rapper's fashion sense, often wearing extravagant shoes, expensive sport coats and vibrant hats- basically anything but the Ra uniform, which we both agreed looked terrible. I had only ever seen him wear it at official academy functions. His black hair was longer than mine, parted to the right so that his long bangs framed his angular face.

"That's not really a good bet." I reply. "It's both in our best interest to complete the job as quickly and efficiently as possible so we can leave. We'll both be going as fast as we can anyway, so there's no reason to make a game out of it."

"You Obelisks with your logic and your reasoning." He said as we both began to unroll the grass around the edges of the shop foundation.

"Ha! Most Obelisk Blues aren't big fans of logic. They tend to be led around by their egos more than anything. Really, it's the Ra Yellows who actually have their heads on straight." Looking at him, I add, "with some exceptions, of course."

"What can I say? Life's more fun when you win big!" He laughed, causing his already narrow eyes to crinkle. In about an hour, we laid the sod and made the necessary cuts with utility knives so it looked good.

We looked upon our work with pride. Sure, it was a bit outside the scope of a normal stockboy's duties, but it was no big deal. The manager let us go after he inspected the job for himself, and soon enough, Adam and I were walking along the gravel path to the Ra Yellow dorms, where we would part ways.

"So, have you heard about the school duel?" Drew asked making small talk.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Truesdale's calling it quits. Apparently he doesn't wanna do it anymore because North Academy is sending a freshman as their representative. No idea why Sheppard's alright with it, but whatever. I guess Bastion Misawa and Jaden Yuki will be dueling to see who represents the academy. Man, you freshman sure have some talented duelists in your ranks!" Adam was meandering his way to his real point, and I figured I'd beat him to the punch.

"I'll bet fifty dollars on Yuki." I clap him on the shoulder with a sharp grin.

He did a double take. "What? Are you serious?"

"I'm friends with both of them. I know the matchup, and Jaden is going to win." I say firmly.

"You're right, Obelisk Blues really don't know how to use logic! You're telling me Bastion Misawa, the guy who spends all day mathematically organizing his strategies and fine-tuning his deck is going to get beat by a Slifer? Get real!"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. If that's the hill you're willing to die on, then so be it. I'm telling your right now Jaden will win the match, even though Bastion will have prepared his deck to counter him." I repeat.

My certainty seemed to impress upon Adam, but unfortunately for him that only made him sure of his decision. "Imagine that, a Slifer representing the school…no way. I gotta go with my gut on this one." We shook hands and the deal was made. I felt a bit guilty about using my foreknowledge of canon to make money…but not that guilty. I wondered what I should spend my extra fifty dollars on as I made my way back to the Obelisk Blue dorm.

After showering off and switching into a coral t-shirt and khaki shorts, I made my way to the student union for a bite to eat. The dorm cafeterias were closed on the weekends, so a smaller one in the main academy hall opened up to service the students.

Of course, Saturdays were the ever so famous "sandwich draw" days.

As usual, a horde of students huddled around the cooler in which the famous "Sandwich Day" packages were. For a giggle, the kitchen staff decided every Saturday to make a variety of random sandwiches, throw them in some unlabeled wrappers, and throw them in the large cooler for the students to draw. Gizzard, liver, and other unmentionables somehow made their way into the sandwiches, much to the disgust of the masses. If the rumors were to be believed, one poor bastard actually managed to eat a sandwich with a raw snake heart on rye. Personally, I thought perhaps a flatbread would bring out the flavor better, but oh well.

I normally didn't bother with this stupid sandwich drawing, but I felt like giving it a whirl today. I heard there was a spot of trouble with someone stealing the famous golden egg sandwiches out of the cooler without even opening the packaging first. Sounds a bit hard to believe, but apparently the thief was tracked down by a group of Slifer Reds as well as one Obelisk Blue girl. The golden eggs were returned shortly thereafter. What a silly story, am I right?

I quickly snatched a sandwich out of the top of the pile. Without looking at the contents, I opened it up and took a bite. The other students looked at me with curiosity for a moment as they rifled through the cooler.

It was nothing too crazy, just ham and swiss with a dollop of mustard. Pretty good luck, all things considered. Smiling, I made my way down to the Slifer Red dorm. Jaden was holding a bonfire tonight, and I heard that Chumley's dad shipped him a stash of Svedka for his birthday as well as a cute bottle of Crystal Head on the low. It promised to be a good time.

The sun had fully set by the time I made it down to the coast. On the way, I picked up a few two-liter bottles of soda to use as mixers. Sure enough, the Slifer Reds were already getting rowdy by the time I arrived. Many Ra Yellow students and even a rare Obelisk were there as well, and there was music and dancing aplenty.

I spotted Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley sitting by the fire, kicking back and enjoying life. It looked like Jaden was seemingly back to normal after his somewhat odd behavior last week. Idly, I wondered what had changed. Hopefully his quality of sleep improved.

"What's good, guys?" I grinned as I took a seat next to Chumley, who gave a clap on the back as greeting, as did Syrus. Jaden, on the other hand, stared blankly at me for a moment, as if he were seeing me, but not really seeing me, if that makes sense. His eyes narrowed for only a moment before his usual cheerfulness returned.

"Good to see you, Jamie!" He grinned. "How's that new job going?"

"Can't complain. Are you ready to win that school duel?" I reply as he handed me a red solo cup.

"You bet!" He responded with a thumbs up. "I can't wait to finally duel Bastion!"

"Don't underestimate him, Jaden. I know for a fact he's got a plan in place to counter your deck." I cautioned.

"In that case, I'll just plan to be unpredictable!" He laughs it off, as he always does. "Say, have you met the new Slifer transfer student yet?"

I shook my head, not remembering who this transfer student was supposed to be again.

"Hey Blair, come here!" Jaden called from across the field.

Oh, for fuck's sake. I audibly groaned as I saw Blair approach. She was even shorter than Syrus, which made sense as I believed she was what, twelve years old at this time? A large pageboy hat covered up her long violet locks. Why she didn't simply cut her hair if she wanted to masquerade as a boy was beyond me.

"Hello, my name is Blair. It's really nice to meet you!" She shook my hand, and I just looked right at her with a bland look on my face.

"Nice to meet you, man." I said, struggling not to laugh. This show was really too much sometimes! I mean, her plan was completely unsustainable. Sooner or later, the hat is going to fall off and people are going to realize that you are a girl, bro. Really brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "you activated my trap card"! Good luck going swimming or showering as well! The fact that a twelve year old girl could still be a trap is pretty astounding in and of itself, but it would be two years max before puberty hit and this jig was up. I mean, I didn't expect any House of Cards level planning from her, but this wasn't even a feasible strategy in the immediate short term. Come to think of it, how did she even get to the island without her parents knowing? They must be worried sick about her. Man, the more I thought about this, the more confusing it became!

However, my musings on Blair halted as I caught of something more interesting; Erin Reid wearing a white halter top with cutoff jean shorts. She easily moved Blair aside as sat down between Syrus and myself. Poor Syrus looked red as a tomato!

"I'm surprised you're up this late. Don't you want to catch the waves tomorrow morning?" I ask as I lean back and gaze at the fire. She threw her arm around me and downed a drink in one gulp before pulling a flask out of her back pocket.

"I'll do both, then sleep tomorrow afternoon." She said cheekily.

"Well, as long as you have a plan…" I say dryly.

"Say, Erin, have you checked out those new water cards from the new set? I bet your deck is gonna look sick after you've opened up a few packs!' Jaden called over.

"You know it, and you'll see em in action during our rematch, Jaden!" She declared, equally enthused.

"Rematch? When did this happen?" I ask lazily.

"Just a few days ago. Jaden ended up winning…Slifer slacker." She teased.

"You did well- I hardly ever get to bring out Shining Flare Wingman like that!" The Slfier prodigy exclaimed.

"And I hardly get to play Neo Daedalus." She responded. They laughed about it until Blair interjected, introducing "himself" to the Obelisk water duelist.

"Nice to meet you, dude. My name is Erin Reid, I'm an Obelisk Blue student." Erin said as she gave me a knowing look, which I returned.

"Wow! That's great! Are you an Obelisk as well, Jamie?" Blair asked.

"That's right." I grinned, knowing where she was going with this.

"Do either of you know Zane Truesdale?" Blair blurted with excitement. Idly, I wondered why she knew who Zane was in the first place. Did they meet at some point in the past? I forget if it was ever mentioned. That's usually how it worked in anime, was it not? The protagonist makes a lasting impression on a girl he met as a child, and ten years, boom another member of the harem. Perhaps Zane was the real protagonist and harem king of Yugioh GX all along! How's that for a plot twist?

Noticing that I had been blanking out for about twenty seconds, I finally said, "Yeah, I know him. I've actually dueled him once."

Erin nodded and said, "I know him, but not very well."

Blair was rapt. "Are you friends with him?" She asked giddily to me.

"I mean, kind of…. maybe?" I shrugged. I guess I wasn't really sure. Neither Zane nor I were really the warm and fuzzy types.

She glomped my arm, causing Erin to giggle. The Slifers didn't seem to think any of this behavior was strange. Just how dense were they? "Zane's amazing, isn't he? I bet he totally destroyed you when you dueled him, isn't that right?"

Why am I suddenly the main source of information on Zane when his younger brother was literally sitting right next me, not saying a word!? "Umm, we tied actually."

"You're lying, I bet he stomped you!" Well, I had to commend her. Not many would so fervently argue on behalf of someone they've never met before.

"Hey, I have an idea! Why don't we walk around and see if Zane's here? Maybe then you can ask him yourself!" I suggest deviously, and Erin now burst out laughing.

"I don't think Zane would go to a Slifer Red party-" Syrus began before I cut off.

"Silence! Anyways," I turned to Blair. "What do you say we check at the Obelisk dorms first and see if he's there. Erin, do you want to come with?"

"Certainly, Jamie." She said after her giggles subsided. "Come on, Blair." She grabbed Blair by the arm and dragged her along without even waiting for me. Always aggressive, that one. "Haha, I'll catch you guys later!" I waved at the Slifers as I left, although before I left the party I filled my cup one last time.

I ran to catch up with Erin and Blair. Erin and I both knew that campus law enforcement would be sniffing about on the main pathways, so we decided to go through some lesser known routes to the Obelisk dorms, weaving through forest and taking a detour around the lake. It was fully nighttime now, but luckily it became easier to see as we approached the Obelisk dorms, due to the increased lighting.

"Wait!" Erin whispered harshly before diving behind a shrub. "Woah!" Blair squeaked as she was drug to the ground, Erin still holding onto her arm. I followed suit, although I spilled the rest of my drink as I did so. Grumbling, I had half a mind to throw the empty cup away, but this was too beautiful of an island to litter.

"What's up?" I muttered to Erin. "Cop." She whispered. Peeking between the leaves of the bush, I saw that there was one watchman out, his flashlight lighting the path while also allowing him to see potential miscreants like ourselves.

I was sure we wouldn't get into any serious trouble if we got caught, but Erin was probably right to be cautious. After a few horribly tense moments, the policeman passed us by. Blair wanted to keep moving, but Erin restrained her, knowing the cop would hear us if we moved this soon. To Blair's credit, she didn't seem deterred at all from her mission. Somehow, I doubted Zane would appreciate her single-mindedness.

After a few more minutes of uneasy silence, Erin gave us the go-ahead and we kept moving. I deferred to her leadership here; this clearly wasn't the first time she's had to sneak around campus. Before we made it to the doors, I had my keys at the ready. Hastily, I unlocked a side door and let the girls in.

Normally, sneaking into my dorms with two girls would bring back fond memories of my first year at college. However, the fact that one of those girls was a twelve-year-old Zane fangirl disguised as a boy considerably dampened the mood.

"Do you know where Crowler normally is around this time?" Erin asked. Now that we were inside, we slowed our pace to a leisurely walk. The idea was that if we looked like we were supposed to be here, people would assume that we were in fact supposed to be here.

"He'll be asleep by now. He always retires before ten in order to get his beauty sleep." I chuckled.

"I think he probably doesn't need any." Erin said. Blair giggled, and I looked at her. Another devious idea entered my mind.

"Hey, that's a really cool hat, bro. Do you mind if I see it? I promise I'll give it right back." I asked.

Her cheeks flushed. "Uhh…. I'm sorry, I really can't….this hat is really important to me, so I can't take it off…" She stammered. Hilariously, the way she refused to remove her hat reminded me of Luffy from One Piece, although her excuse for wearing it was far less cool than his. Erin and I glanced at each other again, almost not believing that something this ridiculous was really happening.

"Oh, my bad. Anyways, Zane's room should be just up ahead." I highly doubted that Zane would be in his room this evening, unless he was holding a small gathering in there; lord knows the Obelisk rooms were big enough for a group of friends to blaze up- I mean play card games together. Still, couldn't hurt to check.

I knocked three times, and heard the telltale sounds of someone frantically hiding something on the other side before a long stretch of silence. A cobalt blue eye peered through the peephole.

"Hello?" Zane's voice sounded a bit odd, but I dismissed it.

"Zane, what are you doing in there? You know practically everyone's throwing a party tonight, right?" I asked, genuinely bewildered.

"Hey, I can enjoy a night in every once in a while, don't judge me." The normally cool and collected Kaiser said quickly. On second thought, I decided not to inquire further into whatever the senior Obelisk was doing. I suppose every man was allowed his secrets- I certainly couldn't throw any stones in that regard.

"We have a problem that requires your attention." Erin piped up.

Sighing, he opened the door. He appeared to be ready for bed, although it was ten at night on a Friday. He was wearing a navy-blue bathrobe and comfy-looking plaid pajama pants. At this point, I'm pretty sure Blair was about to faint from embarrassment.

"We have brought you a fangirl." I say, and in one swift motion I yank the hat off the top of Blair's head, causing her indigo hair to cascade down her shoulders and back.

"No way! How was my perfect disguise foiled?!" Blair squealed, attempting to steal the hat back from me. With a cackle, I held it over her head. She jumped and clawed attempting to reach it, but to no avail as I pitched the cap over to Erin, who caught it with a laugh.

"Why are you two bullying this poor Slifer girl? Wait a minute, girls shouldn't even be in here! You know that, Jamie!" Zane admonished.

"Well hurry up and let us in then, we do actually have a problem here." I said, sobering slightly. Erin handed Blair her hat back, and the cute little stalker seemed none too fond of either of us as we stepped into Zane's room.

I couldn't believe it, but the Kaiser's personal chambers were far nicer than my own. His floors were made of polished hardwood, and next to his four-poster king bed was a kitchen and bar with a granite-topped island. Behind the counter, I saw that Zane had a fairly extensive selection of drinks, even though obviously students were not allowed to possess alcohol under academy bylaws. Not only did Crowler and Sheppard turn a blind eye in his case, but I'd be willing to bet they bought him a few bottles on the low! Crazy stuff!

Translucent curtains adorned a large picture window, outside of which was a white balcony with a direct view of the lake. Looks like the title of "Kaiser" came with more than a few perks!

Gob smacked by the décor (I'll admit I've watched a few episodes of House Hunters in my day), I turned back to Erin, Zane, and Blair. Blair seemed equally as wowed by the room as I was, while Erin didn't seem particularly interested.

"So, just what is going on?" Zane said as he closed the window, not wanting others to hear.

"Well, I wasn't kidding when I said you had a fangirl. Blair, go on and tell him everything." I said. She looked confused.

"What do you mean by everything?" She asked.

"I mean why did you go to the length of sneaking onto campus, disguising your age and gender, and why you wish to speak to Zane so fervently, to start." I said, my tone brooking no argument. Zane's eyebrows rose by the second, until soon enough they were obscured by his bangs.

"Zane…I wish I could have told you this under different circumstances, but…I'm in love with you! I have been ever since the day we first met, and I won't the silly rules of this academy stop us from being together~!" Her brown eyes teared up as she let out a flood of emotions, her impassioned plea suddenly making me feel like a bit of an asshole.

"The first day we met…" Zane muttered, clearly not remembering when that was.

"I remember it like it was yesterday, it was when you won the Junior Duel Monsters league in Domino city three years ago! You defeated every challenger that came your way effortlessly…I couldn't take my eyes off you! When I heard you were studying at Central Duel Academy, I made up my mind that I would come here and be with you!" The words tumbled out from her, and Zane was very much off balance. Ah, that's where they met!

"Wait…how old are you, exactly?" The Kaiser asked, almost not wanting to know the answer.

"Twelve and a half! I'll be thirteen soon!" She squeaked.

"Blair…" Erin leaned down, trying to be consoling. Come to think of it, I probably should have brought along Alexis for this. She was much better when it came to the delicate matters of the heart.

"I know that you think you're in love, and I'm not asking you outright disregard those feelings. But think about it, what do you really know about Zane? This is your first time ever speaking to the guy! For all you knew, he could have been completely unlike your expectations." Erin said.

"That can't be true! He is my prince!" Blair wailed. Zane looked even more surprised at a proclamation like that. If this didn't stop, his ego was going to swell to untold levels.

"Wait, why did you disguise your gender then? Seems kinda pointless if you were going to reveal yourself eventually." I suddenly say, the realization just occurring to me.

"If I masqueraded as a boy, it would be easier to get into the boys dorms." Blair hotly responded, clearly not in the mood for any more of my lip.

"So, have you been going to classes, then? Do you actually understand the curriculum?" I ask, now just for the sake of satisfying my curiosity.

"Umm…well, not really. I don't understand how everyone else was grasping it so easily…math and chemistry, history, it's all so hard! But that stuff doesn't matter- love conquers all!" She exclaimed.

"Well, you're probably struggling because you're two years behind the material. Blair, I'm very flattered by your affections, but the last thing I want is for you to fail out of school because you don't understand what's being taught. Besides, your parents must be extremely concerned about you. It's time for you to go home." Zane said as gently as he could.

She nodded immediately, wiping her tears. I'd like to believe that she simply recognized the truth behind his words. But in actuality, I'd be willing to bet that if I said those same words, I'd be a big jerk, whereas Zane was a perfect prince who was merely looking out for the wellbeing of his lady.

She sighed in defeat. "You're right, Zane…I'm sorry I caused you any trouble. My parents think I'm on a field trip right now…I really don't want them to know what's really going on."

"Our lips are sealed." I said, trying to be kind.

She looked at me with suspicion. "I don't believe you! You're mean! In fact-" She brought out a duel disk from nowhere. "I challenge you to a duel right now! If a win, I get to stay!" She declared.

"Challenge declined. Blair, we literally just outlined the reasons why you can't stay here. If this goes on any longer, you could get into serious trouble. What I want to know is how you got your paws on the paperwork to even register here as a student in the first place?" I continued on, unaffected.

She sighed. "Was my disguise really that obvious?" She asked, putting away the duel disk. Wait, answer my question, you weasel!

"Yes, it was plain as day. The only reason the Slifers didn't notice is because, well, they're not exactly the brightest crayons in the shed. Now how did you get the paperwork?" I insisted.

"You're mixing metaphors again, Jamie." Erin noted with a giggle.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you get home safely." Zane said in fatherly tone. Why does the universe conspire against me? Oh well, I guess it will remain a riddle for the ages.

Luckily for us, a passenger ferry was heading back to Domino City the next morning, where Blair lived. When the boat docked, Zane pulled aside the captain and had a few words with him. Just like that, Blair had essentially free passage to the city. Made me wonder just how much sway the Kaiser really had…

Unlike in canon, there was no need to duel Blair in order to make her see reason, so that was good. However, the rest of our friends still found about the situation. Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, Bastion, and Alexis accompanied Zane, Erin, and I to the docks to see the girl off.

"So, how did you know about her crush on Zane? I mean, the fact that he was really a girl was obvious, but that…" Erin asked me discreetly.

"Syrus mentioned that Blair made some weird comments about Zane at the assembly. I took one look at her and I could just tell what she was doing, and why she was here. At the very least, I just wanted to see if my intuitions were correct." I lied clumsily.

"You have a pretty good intuition, don't you? You always seem to win those outlandish bets you and Sugihara set up, and that guy's got quite a brain for odds and numbers." Erin said casually. I suddenly felt nervous. One of these days, I was going to let something slip around her. She was going to discover my secrets if I wasn't more careful.

"What can I say? It's a natural talent." I say as lightly as I can.

"Yeah, no kidding. I never would have figured Blair was a girl!" Jaden cut in, and I was actually quite glad for his intervention. Everyone laughed at the Slifer boy's silliness.

"You should watch out, Zane. It'll only be two short years before your princess will return." Alexis said with a sly grin.

"I'll be long gone before then, by the grace of Ra. Unfortunately, it looks like I've lost my coveted status as prince…" The Kaiser said blandly, giving Jaden a nudge.

"Goodbye, Jaden, my sweet prince! Thank you being such a sweetheart! I loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove you~!" Blair hollered down from the bow as the ferry set off from the pier.

Jaden paled. "No way! I thought she was supposed to like Zane! Heck, I barely even know this girl!"

"She does like Zane, but it seems that she loves you!" Alexis laughed.

"The affections of girls are so illogical…there should be classes on that subject if you ask me." Bastion said with a shake of the head. Oh, if only he knew what was coming down the pipe…a crazy tiger lady with a penchant for domination. I could barely resist the urge to darkly chuckle.

"Ah, she'll find her prince one day. Who knows if it'll be Jaden…as long as she doesn't start making eyes at you, it doesn't matter." Erin laughed, throwing an arm around my shoulder. I still have no idea what she likes about me- I'll have to ask her soon.

The boat grew smaller and smaller on the horizon, until eventually it disappeared in the endless blue. Erin, Bastion, and I walked to the cafeteria together, the rest of the group breaking off to do their own thing.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Erin. I'm Jamie's old roommate, Bastion Misawa." The Ra Yellow introduced himself cordially to my…. girlfriend, I guess. I kinda just fell into this whole relationship thing, but something tells me actually maintaining it is going to be the hard part. Something tells me things with Alexis weren't so cut and dry either.

"Best of luck in your match next week against Yuki. He's no joke- the guy always seems to pull a lucky draw at the last minute." She advised.

"I think you're right. But I'm not the type to let luck enter the equation. My calculations are exact as can be. I look forward to checking my math against him." Bastion said with certainty.

Scratching my chin, I wondered what would happen if Bastion actually managed to beat Jaden this time around. That would mean that Bastion would face Chazz in the School Duel. As handily as Bastion defeated Chazz the first time in canon, I had my doubts that he would be able to handle him as easily in this circumstance, especially since he theoretically had no way of predicting what cards Chazz would use in the duel.

I supposed that Chazz had already ascended to the rank of Czar up at North Academy, and was probably preparing for the school duel as of right now. I wondered if he held a grudge against me for the way I beat him- oh who I am I kidding, the guy probably has a picture of my face tacked onto a dartboard somewhere. I knew Chazz wasn't that bad of a guy, but man, he can be relentless with his enemies. I had a feeling I would be facing him again down the line. Maybe if we were alone, I would whip out the Melodious deck and put this little argument of ours to bed for good.

"I have to wonder just who this freshman is that North Academy is sending south for us. They must be an amazing duelist to rise in the ranks quickly as he has. To surpass the upperclassman is exceptional as well. Then again, this freshman class is pretty good as far as dueling goes." Erin said idly.

"No one knows anything about him, other than his nickname." Bastion said portentously.

"Oh? And what's that?" I ask.

"They call him the Black Thunderbolt."

A/N

Hope you all enjoyed.

Eh, had to get this one out of the way, as it is technically a canon episode. Struggled to get through it though. I dislike running through the stations of the canon, so I hope this take on the Blair episode was suitably unique. I'm much more excited for the next few chapters, where the plot really starts to derail. Introduced a minor OC in the chapter in the form of the gambling duelist Adam Sugihara- he'll have some plot importance down the road, not as much as Erin though. He's sort of meant to be a foil for Jamie- while Jamie aims to win using whatever means are most efficient, Adam gets a thrill out of taking chances and risks. The game itself is fun- winning is just a bonus. He's also meant to contrast Bastion in the Ra Yellow student body.

Next chapter we will explore the perspective of Chazz Princeton up at North Academy.


	9. Diamond In The Rough

Chapter 9: Interlude: Diamond In The Rough

 **Chazz Princeton POV**

 _"It is beginning."_ Chazz thought as he gazed out the window. The once-clear skies had clouded over in the night, and what had been described to Chazz as a "summer snow" had started early in the morning.

Smoothly he rose from his bed and began dressing for the day. His wardrobe was not varied- every day, Chazz wore heavy black shirts, dark jeans, a sturdy pair of brown boots, and his trusty black trenchcoat, which was gifted to him by his peers- subjects- after he ascended to the status of Czar. Because of the snow, Chazz also donned a heavy fur parka.

His personal quarters were almost unusually barren. There were little in the way of personal trinkets or affects, outside of his precious cards, which were kept under lock and key in the dresser beside his four-poster bed. The room was hewn from cold stone and had a remarkably uninviting air to it, and yet it was certainly amongst the most luxurious quarters in the entirety of North Academy. Chazz was also one of the few students at North Academy who did not have a roommate, due to his status as Czar and top student of the school.

In the past, Chazz might have reveled in titles and statuses, but no longer. What mattered more to him was the respect afforded to him based on what was really important: power.

His position as the Princeton heir and former elite of Obelisk Blue meant nothing to the Northerners. He still remembered how they looked down on him when he first arrived at this frozen wasteland with naught but the clothes on his back and a duel disk on his arm. They saw him as a pampered southern boy who was too big for his britches, and closed their gates to him.

Chazz had forgotten why he even went North to begin with. It was all a blur, ever since the day Jamie Lancaster humiliated him and stole his rank in Obelisk Blue. Merely the idea of that loathsome, arrogant, cutthroat upstart wearing his colors was too much to bear- the injustice was only surpassed by the thought of wearing the thrice-damned canary yellow of the mediocre Ra students.

It has all gone downhill so quickly. He had it all- money, power, respect. And yet, it had all evaporated a mere month into the semester. It was the smiling fool Jaden Yuki who had first crippled his pride, but it was Jamie who had struck the fatal blow, burying it six feet under and leaving it to be forgotten.

But his enemies had all forgotten one vital rule in the game of power: crush your foe totally. They thought they could get away with marginalizing him, sending him off to Ra Yellow to live as a common, middle-class duelist. He was a Princeton- the name meant something, and he would take back everything his lessers had stolen from him and more.

A change of scenery would do best, he thought as he fled from Central Duel Academy that sunny day in November. Yes, he would find a place where his power would not be questioned by anyone. Ever. When he heard that North Academy would be dueling Central Academy in the School Duel this year, his choice was clear.

Oh, what a glorious day it would be when he returned to the school that had spurned him, stronger than ever. He would destroy Zane Truesdale or whomever they decided to send his way and would bring glory to the North.

It was time for his morning ritual. Sighing, he reached underneath his bed and pulled out a box of darts. Pulling two especially sharp ones out, he took aim at the far wall. Attached to two dartboards he ordered on Amazon were printer-scanned photos of Jaden Yuki and Jamie Lancaster. Both wore smiles- Jaden's was more of a boyish grin, while Jamie's was an audacious smirk. The photos were speared with multiple darts, the efforts of multiple mornings past. In fact, Chazz did this every day upon waking, like clockwork.

First, Chazz took aim at Jaden, psychotically baring his teeth as his dart landed squarely in Jaden's left nostril. "Perfect." Chazz muttered.

Sadly, his next dart missed, landing about a quarter inch off from Jamie's neck. "Shitty throw…" Chazz cursed himself, but he did not grab another dart. He only allowed himself one shot at each one of them every day. It was an important thing for him.

Before he left, Chazz looked in his bedside drawer. In it, there were the forty cards he gathered in the ice fields in order to be let in the gates. He was truly lucky, that he found enough good cards to defeat each and every one of the North Academy students. It was a truly grueling experience, bringing back memories of going through a similar gauntlet after being admitted into Obelisk Blue. This was much harder, and he wasn't using an ideal deck, but he managed to emerge victorious and was crowned Czar for his efforts.

Chazz descended the stairs that led from the student barracks to the mess hall. There were many differences between North Academy and Central Academy that Chazz inevitably noticed over time. To his displeasure, Chazz noted that there were significantly more male students than females, a ratio of around 75:25 if he had to guess. The duelists here on average were no nowhere near as skilled as the ones from the central academy- truthfully, that was one thing Chazz missed about his old school. As their king, one of his goals was to bring the average skill level of the students to a point where they would be able to put the Slifers and Ras of central academy to shame.

In lieu of having tiered dorms, each student of North Academy was ranked on both a Years list, which ranked the students in each grade, and a Master list, which ranked the entirety of the student body. Students were ranked on the list based on their win/loss percentages as well as total number of matches won, so students were incentivized to duel as often as possible. The only exception from this rule was he or she who held the title of Czar. The Czar is a constant fixture atop the Master list, and only a direct challenge to the Czar could unseat him or her form their position. Chazz had only received a few challenges in the last month, and he had defeated all comers soundly.

Chazz entered the mess hall, and although he had not announced his presence, every head in the hall instinctually turned to acknowledge the presence of their king. They nodded their heads deferentially before returning to their meals and conversations.

Silently, Chazz walked up to the lunch counter, giving a customary greeting to the cooks as he did so. "Is there anything in particular you wished for this morning?" One of them asked him.

"Just my usual." Chazz said, his voice having grown more gravelly during the time since he left his old life behind. The chefs nodded and went to work. Within minutes, Chazz had on his plate a helping of scrambled eggs, a hearty cut of pork sausage, two biscuits, a side of gravy, and one bright red apple.

Chazz sat down, and no one made any move to sit besides him. Although he was held in great respect and honor by his peers, Chazz had no friends amongst the Northerners.

Except for one.

"Howdy, Chazz!" The Czar heard a cheerful voice a moment before a hand clapped him on the back, nearly causing him to choke on his eggs.

Hastily regaining his composure, Chazz turned to regard his companion. "Good morning, Jesse." He said stiffly.

Jesse Anderson had also put on a heavy fur to confront the winds of winter, but that did nothing to obscure the sunshine that seemed to naturally emanate from his being. His messy teal hair was instantly recognizable in the normally dark and somber halls of the school. His sea-green eyes were filled with mirth, and at first glance Chazz was reminded of Lancaster when he looked at them. But upon closer examination, it was different. The playfulness in Jamie's eyes was of a mocking, self-amused variety- it was like he always knew something you didn't. His eyes were darker too, like emeralds. Jesse's, on the other hand, were like a child's- alive and full of wonder. Lighter in color, their innocence made them much more like Yuki's. Jesse was remarkably similar to Jaden in personality as well. That frustrated Chazz. The last thing he needed was a reminder of his enemies.

However, there were small, but key differences between Jaden and Jesse. Chazz noticed that as soon as he met his unlikely friend for the first time.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

It was a week after he had first arrived at North Academy and became the Czar. Chazz had been minding his own business, reading a book in the commons, when he heard it. The bells that signified that the outside gates were being opened had begun to ring- a rare event, as students rarely traveled to and from campus during the semester.

Classes were just being let out for the day, and students were milling about in the commons as they usually did. But that day was different- it seemed as though they were waiting for something. Idly, Chazz noticed that the spirits of the annoying Ojama duel spirits were hanging around him again, although they were blessedly quiet since they knew he was doing homework.

And then, they walked through the front doors. Jesse Anderson, accompanied by Headmaster Foster and a few other students, had returned from a long journey.

"It is good to hear that you reached an agreement with mister Pegasus so expediently. Believe me, I know how long those sorts of talks can go." Foster said unctuously.

"I'm glad he allowed me sole continued usage of the Crystal Beasts. I know that mine are the only copies in the world, so it's not exactly in line with some regulations…but I don't think I could duel without them." Jesse said calmly.

"Oh, don't say that, you'll give this old man a heart attack! You're one of our best and brightest, Jesse. We can't afford to lose you." Foster chuckled nervously.

"That's kind of ya, Headmaster. So, what's this I hear about a new Czar, and a transfer student, no less? The guy must be an amazing duelist." Jesse said with considerably more excitement.

"Why, speak of the devil, there he is! Chazz, come over here!" Foster noticed Chazz and waved him over. Chazz had already been listening in on the conversation, and was glad he had an excuse to enter it.

"This is the new king in the North, Chazz Princeton of the Princeton family." Foster introduced. Chazz's stormy grey eyes bored into Jesse's aquamarine ones, trying to establish dominance immediately. To his credit, Jesse didn't seem perturbed in the least.

"It's good to meet you at last, my liege. My name is Jesse Anderson." Jesse said with a respectful nod, although there were some traces of sarcasm around the words 'my liege'. Chazz didn't like that Jesse was taller than him, but he returned the nod despite his irritation.

"There is no need to refer to me by any title. Chazz is fine." He said stiffly.

"Chazz, Jesse here is one of our top duelists as well! He is a freshman like you, and frequently is in the top five on the Master list! I'll leave you two to get to know one another. I have a conference call with East Academy soon. If you need any assistance, Jesse, my door is open to you. Good day, gentleman." Hastily, Foster excused himself, seeming somewhat nervous as he often did.

As soon as the Headmaster was out of earshot, Chazz turned to Jesse and said, "You are not to challenge my position under any circumstances. I have already been named as the school's representative for the School Duel at the end of term." He said coldly.

Jesse simply shrugged. "That's fine, I'm not much interested in all that anyhow. What I want to know is this…" He lowered his voice. "Are you aware that you can see them?"

Chazz's eyes widened. He heard the sharp gasps of the Ojamas behind him and immediately knew what Jesse was referring to. "What?" Was all the king in the north could say.

"It's alright, you're not going crazy. I can see duel spirits as well. They're my closest friends and partners." As Jesse spoke, Chazz saw them appear. Like mirages in a desert, they were both ethereal and yet still there. The crystal beasts stood loyally behind Jesse, and Chazz gaped at their breathtaking, fantastical beauty. He saw a white Pegasus adorned with sapphires, a tortoise with chunks of emerald on its shell, and a cat with a ruby at the end of its tail- frankly, Chazz couldn't help but feel a little jealous of Jesse, especially when he compared his duel spirits with the ugly Ojamas.

"How did you get those cards? I had no idea the crystal beasts really existed! And how can you see them?" Chazz exclaimed.

"I don't know how…it's something I've always been able to do for as long as I can remember. Surely, you're the same way? I haven't met many people who can see spirits before, so I don't have much of a frame of reference. Something's different about these cards in particular. It's not that I sought them out…it's actually the opposite. The crystal beasts chose me." Jesse replied with an easy chuckle.

"I had no idea I could see duel spirits until these three chronic irritants showed up. In that sense, they chose me as well." Chazz jerked his thumb at the three Ojama Brothers, who seemed undeterred by Chazz's vitriol.

"Heya, stranger! We're the brothers Ojama, faithful friends of the Czar, Chazz Princeton!" Ojama Black introduced himself, shaking a bemused Jesse's hand. "Nice to meetcha!" The cheerful boy replied as Ojamas Yellow and Green mingled with the crystal beasts.

"So, how did you get those cards in the first place?" Chazz asked.

"This is gonna sound ridiculous, but they were a gift from Maximillion Pegasus himself. It was after I won my first regional in Houston, Texas. Soon after I won Grand Finals, Pegasus approached me with three copies of each crystal beast. He told me that they called out to me, that they belonged with me. It sounded crazy at the time, but who was I to question the creator of duel monsters? Since then, they've been my closest friends." Jesse explained succinctly. Chazz felt that there was more to the story than that, but for now he accepted Jesse's answer.

 _"It is as though he has a personal army ready to back him at any juncture. Perhaps he could be a valuable ally. He could even help me find out the extent of my ability to see spirits."_ Chazz thought.

And the rest was history….

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Eating a spoonful of his cereal, Jesse looked over the morning newspaper before taking a glance at the Master List. He was still at the overall number two spot while Chazz remained at the top.

"Enjoying the view from second place, Anderson?" Chazz jibed.

"I don't mind it at all. You're the one who has to deal with all eyes on you. No one has any time for the second fiddle, which is fine by me. You should be happy we haven't dueled yet, pal, or you'd be seeing just how good the view is from second place for yourself!" Jesse said, and they both laughed.

From an outsider's perspective, it might seem like Jesse and Chazz were bickering, but really it was nothing more than lad banter. The pair had a rocky start at first, mostly due to Chazz's poor attitude, but in a surprisingly short time, they grew to respect each other's skills. Jesse didn't mind the number two spot at all, as it granted him more freedom and less public scrutiny. Chazz was glad for this, because he wasn't sure he could beat Jesse if the two truly fought it out.

"So, looks like some kid named Lucien Grimley just cracked the top twenty. You know him?" Chazz asked as he looked over the sports section of the paper. Little known fact- over the past few months, Chazz had grown fond of professional curling and desired to play the sport himself. For the sake of his image, he didn't let this knowledge become public. Ra only knows how many times he would be watching a curling highlight video only to have to hastily switch tabs when someone walked by.

"Never heard of him." Jesse said at first, only a moment later to add, "wait, I think I might know who he is. He's that goth kid who always gets the lucky draws. He's really been shooting up the ranks recently. Who knows, maybe he struck a deal with the devil, eh?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Chazz scoffed, taking a loud bite of his apple.

"Says the guy with three duel spirits! Stranger things have definitely happened. You know, there is an old ghost story around here about the grim reaper's spirit. They say it's trapped in one of the cards out on the ice range."

"They say a lot of things." Chazz grumbled. "And it's getting harder and harder to tell which of the stories are true and which aren't. I never thought the Crystal Beasts could be real, nor spirits, but I was wrong. I imagine if such a monster is real, it will make itself known to us soon enough. For now, I have to prepare for the school duel."

"I suppose." Jesse admitted, tabling the matter for another time. "If you're gonna beat Zane Truesdale, your strategies are gonna have to be top-notch."

Chazz shook his head slowly as he wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin. "Apparently, Zane has decided to step away from this duel. Foster said that since I'm a freshman, it's only fair that a freshman from the south rises to challenge me."

"That's good news for you! I hear that Truesdale is a crazy strong duelist. I wouldn't mind taking him on one day." Jesse said idly.

"Yeah, well…I'm not out of the woods yet." Chazz replied. As he spoke, the memory of his defeats at the hands of Yuki and Lancaster returned. It was more than likely he would be facing one of them in the school duel. He couldn't eliminate Misawa or Rhodes from contention either.

"But no matter what stands in my way, I will prevail. We sail for Central Academy in seven days. Will you be coming with?" The Czar asked.

"Nah, I've missed too many classes already with my trip to Industrial Illusions. I know Sergei and his boys are eager to get down there though. You might have to keep an eye on them, make sure they don't get too rowdy." Jesse answered, referring the buff russian dude Chazz beat to attain the position of Czar. Sergei was currently third on the master list.

"Ha! You might be right there. Well, it's a shame you can't join us." Chazz said.

"For sure! It's always fun to visit a new place. I'm sure you'll tell me all about it when you get back." Jesse folded up the paper and they both stood to put away their trays.

"Yes. It's a reunion I'm looking forward to as well. They will see my skills and understand why I am the king in the north." Chazz said, and suddenly a devious idea entered his mind.

"Say Jesse, do you have any copies of Magic Cylinder lying around?"

With a knowing smile, Jesse nodded. "I have a spare copy. And speaking of cards and spirits, I picked up something interesting during my travels. I know this belongs with you, Chazz. It calls to you, just as the crystal beasts called to me- just listen."

Chazz closed his eyes and focused, trying to block out his other senses in favor of the sixth sense- the one that let him see the duel spirits. When he opened his eyes, he saw it.

A mighty dragon stood proudly behind Jesse. It was not uniform in appearance, but rather it was bifurcated. One half was white as snow, glowing with a gentle light. Its wing was feathered, like a bird's, but otherwise it was entirely reptilian in appearance. The other half was black, purely dark with a bat's wing.

"Do you see it?" Jesse asked as he held out a card in his hand.

"Yes…" Chazz said softly as he took the card, in awe.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **I'd like to thank my boy KirinOfTheSun for beta reading and editing the chapter, love you bro.**

 **Thought we'd take the time to catch up with miste himself. His character has always been a favorite of mine. I also thought this would be a good opportunity to look into the inner workings of North Academy and world-building in general, so I hope you liked that. As we see in this chapter, Chazz has the ability to see not only his Ojama duel spirits, but his Light and Darkness Dragon from the manga as well. If you haven't read the manga, I highly endorse it- Chazz is actually a beast there, and the duel writing and artwork is quite good.**

 **Chazz has also encountered and formed a friendship with Jesse Anderson as well. I can't believe these two characters didn't have any connection in canon, both being North Academy students and all. But here, they've developed an unlikely friendship. Jesse's sheer friendliness and charisma seems to be enough to overcome Chazz's constantly seething rage. In developing their friendship, I took some influence from the relationship between Bakugo and Kirishima from Boku no Hero Academia, another fantastic manga series. I hope you guys found this friendship believable, it will be a huge factor into both of their arcs down the road.**

 **Next chapter will feature the school duel between Central Academy and North Academy. It'll be a beefy chapter to compensate for this one being shorter. Have a good one fellas and thank you for the continued feedback!**


	10. Winter Has Begun

Chapter 10: Winter Has Begun

Slowly, I managed to free myself from the clutches of sleep. I cracked one emerald eye open at a time, unsure of what time of day it was. A red baseball cap kept the sun from my eyes as I napped on the beach, my backpack making an impromptu pillow. It's hard to believe it was December- it seemed as through the weather here never changed.

"Finally, I've found you. What are you doing here, Jamie?" I heard a familiar voice say.

Removing the cap from my head, I stretched out a bit and realized that the person talking to me was Bastion Misawa, who appeared to be fresh out of another doubtlessly excruciating study session. He was still in full uniform with the top button of his shirt fastened. In contrast, I was wearing a white cutoff shirt, dark gym shorts, and sandals. Behind Bastion, the sun was beginning to sink below the waves. The light scattered across the surface of the sea like a million diamonds. The sky was dappled with a blend of hues, from scorching orange to pale blue.

"Rosewood let us off an hour early, so Sugihara and I decided to head down here and play some volleyball. You'd think more people would be here on a Friday afternoon. After everyone left, I decided to sit here and get some reading done. You can see how well that turned out." I said with a smile. Despite my failing to read, it was turning out to be a near-perfect day.

"Indeed." Bastion said with a similar laugh. "It appears your friend had the same idea." He jerked his arm over to Adam, who was sleeping a dozen meters away with a grey flat-brimmed hat over his head. Wearing a tight maroon tee shirt with bright white trunks, he clutched our volleyball protectively under his arm like a child would a teddy bear.

"Shouldn't you two be studying for finals instead of taking naps here like a couple of beach bums?" Bastion lightly reprimanded as I woke Adam up.

"Nah, I like being a beach bum better." Of course, I had also gone through high school once before, so I doubted the semester exams here would be very challenging, especially considering it was freshman material. Of course, who knows, maybe the tests would be extremely hard and I would fail all my classes. There's a plot twist! Then again, Jaden always seemed to make it through just fine, and that kid's textbooks were still in their original wrapping.

I nudged Adam again, but he was unwilling to get up. "So, it looks like Jaden's going to be facing off against this 'black thunderbolt' from the North." I said. Bastion's game against Jaden had been a few days ago, and although Bastion was able to stymie Jaden's strategies tremendously at first, the Slifer managed to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat using Cyclone Boomerang's burn effect.

"I know." Bastion said with a sigh. "I was wrong to solely focus on preventing fusion summons…Jaden's strategy was more unpredictable than I could have anticipated."

"Sometimes I think he puts cards in his deck randomly. It doesn't hurt that heroes have so much support that he can afford to alter the makeup of his deck radically. It's almost as if some cosmic force delivers the right cards to him at the right time. Maybe use the dark deck on him next time, see how he likes a bit of Dark Armed Dragon action." I reply as Adam finally wakes his ass up.

"I just might." Bastion said. "At any rate, it's a load off my back. Finals and the school duel in the same week can be a bit much. I don't know how Jaden handles it so well."

"He might be the craziest one out of us all." Adam said groggily. "It's good to meet you formally, Bastion Misawa. I'm Adam Sugihara."

"I see, you must be Jamie's coworker. I hope you two don't have to deal with Rosewood every day." Bastion commiserated.

"He barely stops by the store, actually, which is fine by me." Adam says casually. "For some reason, he's always asking this guy relationship advice." He jerked his thumb towards me while spinning the volleyball on the tip of his other hand's index finger.

"It's probably because you're the only freshman around here who can actually speak to girls normally. Most guys in our class seem to have an irrational fear of girls for whatever reason." Bastion said.

Oh, Bastion, you shouldn't throw stones from glass houses. "What about you? Are you thinking of asking any girls out soon?" I asked.

The genius of Ra Yellow suddenly looked unbalanced. "Umm, well…you know…yeah."

"What's the matter?" I ask with a catlike grin. I remembered that these boys were actually only fifteen years old, sixteen at the most. Girls were certainly going to be mystifying to these boys, even someone as intelligent as Bastion. Adam looked vaguely confused, although that may be because he just woke up.

"Oh…nothing." Bastion replied unconvincingly.

"Who is it?" I ask, cutting straight to the point.

"What makes you think I would be interested in romance?" Bastion said haughtily, crossing his arms.

"Oh, out with it already! It's Alexis, right?" I assume. Bastion did have a crush on Alexis in the manga, so it was an educated guess at least.

"No, actually, although you're close." Bastion responded coyly.

"What are you talking about? This isn't really something you can be close on. Either you guess the right girl or not." Adam, who knows much about the nature of guessing, chimed in.

"Someone close…" I pondered, before it hit me. "Mindy or Jasmine?" I asked, hoping I remembered their names correctly.

"It's Jasmine." Bastion replied, a blush staining his face. Adam and I raised inquisitive eyebrows in unison. "Wasn't she just trying to get with Rosewood-" Adam began before I shushed him.

This was interesting to me. I figured Bastion would be into more brainy girls, but hey, more power to him. "So, you're actually having trouble talking to her? Why?"

"It's not that easy, alright? There's no equation, no method that lets one talk to girls effectively. I don't understand it…it's just not logical!" Bastion protested. I'm sure he spent many late nights trying to find some sort of nonexistent love equation, but to no avail.

"You were just talking about irrational fears of girls! What is all this about?" I ask incredulously.

"I never said I didn't have an irrational fear of them!" Bastion shot back. "I actually came here hoping for some advice." He said, more softly.

Adam leaned forward in interest. I'm sure he was curious what sort of advice I was give. "Umm, well to be honest Bastion, you may not like what I'm about to tell you." I begin.

"Why?"

"Because I'm about to spout a cliché; just be yourself. But I don't mean that in the dumb way most people mean it. What I mean is that you'll have better luck approaching Jasmine if you just talk to her like a normal human being. Don't take any damn advice from movies or dating websites or any of that bullshit. Just be who you are, unapologetically. Make your intentions clear or you will the friend who does her homework for her in exchange for a peck on the cheek. That's a guarantee." I say as frankly as possible.

Bastion nodded, soaking it all in. "But if I speak without a filter, I'll just end up talking about academic subjects." He complains.

"Well, before you dive into stuff like that, throw out a feeler to see if she's interested in that sort of thing. I doubt she will, but hey, maybe she might be into astrophysics or calculus." How I managed to say that with a straight face is beyond me. "The important thing is to make sure she's interested in the conversation, That means you should spend more time listening than talking. If she's talking, she'll be interested in the conversation. Don't talk about yourself that much, leave a bit of mystery for her. And just let things flow naturally." I really hoped things turned out well for Bastion. Often, I felt the man was overeducated and underloved.

Bastion looks bolstered now that he has a bit of a game plan. "Thank you, Jamie. Anyways, I was also looking for you because Professor Crowler wants an end-of-semester meeting with each individual Obelisk. Sartyr is doing the same for the Ra Yellows." Bastion said, nodding at Adam.

"How do you know what Crowler wants? You're not in Obelisk." Adam pointed out.

"He said so at the end of yesterday's class." Bastion replied, bemused.

"Oh, right. Probably should have went to that class, but I was probably too busy doing literally anything else." I grunt as I stand up, brushing the sand off my legs. "Thanks for letting me know, I'll go schedule an appointment with him immediately and get this over with."

"I should go talk to Sartyr as well." Adam stood, slipping on his sandals. "Thanks for letting me know, Misawa. Good luck on your date." He clapped Bastion on the back, causing the prodigy to cough.

"Indeed. You know, Sugihara, we should duel sometime. I'm interested in seeing how my formulas would fare against a deck based on chance." Bastion said, seeming like a scientist presented with an intriguing new variable.

"You might find that your calculations might be a little off when it comes to me. I just got some new cards with my last paycheck too…" Adam said with a wily grin.

"Ha! Coin flips and dice rolls…as I far as I have seen, those tend to fail more often than not." Bastion challenged, not out of aggression, but out of scientific inquiry. He couldn't understand why someone would leave victory and defeat to chance. Frankly, I agreed with Bastion. In this world, winning duels was of paramount importance, and for any duelist to succeed, they must construct their deck to be as consistently powerful as possible.

"There are ways to tip the odds on one's favor…besides, I like to win big and lose big. That's the way I duel. This game's no fun if you don't put a little of yourself into it." Adam replied.

And yet, I could understand Adam Sugihara's perspective the longer I stayed in this world. Dueling here was not merely a game, but a way of expressing oneself. Jaden played Heroes because he was a teenage boy who liked superheroes. Alexis played cards based around ice and dancing because she enjoyed the aesthetics of such cards and strived to build a deck around them. Adam enjoyed all sorts of games and bets, and that was reflected in his deck. More importantly, Adam was a normal kid, not burdened by the coming darkness like I was. He could afford to play whatever cards struck his fancy.

It would seem to me that Bastion and Adam represented two extremes: the inflexible planner and the reckless gambler. A balance between them would be best.

"You guys should duel sometime, I'd love to see it." I said, genuinely curious how it would turn out. Maybe seeing the two extremes battle it out would clue me in to which one I should lean towards in my own behavior.

"Perhaps." Bastion replied. "Frankly, before I duel again though, I want to spend some quality time in the lab first. My loss to Jaden has really opened my eyes…I need to be more adaptable if I want to succeed in the future. There are some variables that cannot be planned for."

"I believe that is wise." I nodded. "A fine balance between planning and acting must be achieved. Too much time planning, and no time is left to put those plans into motion. Too little time planning, and you leave the mission up to the whims of fate."

Adam and Bastion nodded. "It is something to think about. Well, next time I see you, I'll tell how well your advice worked." Bastion said with a smile.

"Sure thing!" I responded before breaking off from them and walking the path to the main academy building.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Signore Jamie, please come in."

"At once, doctor." Strangely, I was allowed into the office after a short five minute wait. It must have been a slow afternoon. Crowler's office was decorated in a noticeably French aesthetic. This confused me, as Crowler was an English name as far as I knew. Either his mother was French, or 4Kids goofed when they wrote his dub name. Who knows, really? Oh who am I kidding, it was probably the latter.

"Please, have a seat." Crowler gestured to the blue office chair sitting opposite his birch desk. I resisted the urge to swivel around in the chair as I sat down. "This will be a short meeting."

"Why?" I asked, somewhat on edge.

"It's because frankly, there is little I need to counsel you on. You have done very well here. Your grades are excellent, and your class attendance is good. Although you've been slipping lately in that regard." He said with a scolding look.

"My apologies, professor." I say, appearing meek.

"Just work on improving it in the future. Truthfully, it is no matter so long as your grades stay where they are. Your recorded duel performance is exceptional as well- you have one of the best win-loss records in Obelisk Blue. In fact, I daresay that only Zane Truesdale surpasses you in this regard. Very nice indeed. Tell me, how much do you anticipate your deck be affected by the upcoming banlist?"

"I imagine it will be affected greatly. Many of my cards are already limited or semi-limited. I think the new pack coming out in January will help me restructure my deck accordingly, though." I had a feeling my days of using Black Luster Soldier were coming to an end.

"Ah yes. Flaming Eternity, I believe it's called. The analysts say that Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys will be an extremely powerful monster." Crowler mentioned offhand, and his words were true. For a while, the Sacred Phoenix was a powerhouse in the post goat-control meta. With the money earned from my part-time job, I should be able to buy a box or two of this new pack and rebuild my public deck accordingly.

"So, are you excited for the school duel, mister Lancaster?" Crowler asked.

"Certainly. I look forward to seeing how these Northmen duel." I say diplomatically. I had a feeling I knew where this conversation was headed.

"Certainly. It's just a shame that our great school must represented by someone of Jaden Yuki's station and demeanor. It bothers me greatly…" Crowler snarled. Man, this guy does have a bit of a one-track mind, doesn't he?

"May I speak freely, professor?" I ask, careful of offending the mercurial professor. "Certainly, mister Lancaster." Crowler replied.

"I think Jaden will be more than enough to handle whatever the North throws our way. He beat Bastion Misawa fair and square, and to fight in this school duel is his right." I say firmly, defending my friend.

"Zane seems to share your opinion…I do not. If you must know, mister Lancaster, you were one of the names I brought up when the professors convened to discuss potential representatives for the school duel. I cast my vote for Zane at first, but I feel you or Miss Rhodes would have been better choices for this role. Unfortunately, Zane managed to sway Sheppard's mind, and that was that…" Crowler shared. It didn't seem very hard to influence Sheppard's decisions, judging from canon at least. Despite his name, he was more of a sheep than a shepherd in Crowler's estimation…and in mine as well, to be honest.

I was shocked that he held me in such high esteem. Then again, it's possible he was just throwing names out there in a last-ditch effort to prevent Jaden from taking the position. Still, it was quite the sign of respect from the imperious teacher. I wonder what he's buttering me up for. "Thank you, doctor. You do me a great honor. But I stand by my view. Jaden will bring this school glory."

"I hope you are right, mister Lancaster. That will be all. Enjoy your break, and good luck constructing your new deck." He dismissed me from the office quickly thereafter.

I went to the atrium, where many students sat studying. Frowning, I pondered what Crowler's aim was. I'm starting to think he's grooming me to be his top enforcer in the same way Chazz was. I took Chazz's spot, so I suppose he thought I would inherit his irrational hatred of Slifers as well.

He was wrong. I would not be Crowler's minion, nor would I pretend to hate Slifers for the sake of currying favor with him. Besides, I knew that Crowler's disdain of Slifers was on some level a façade. After all, he took great risks on several instances in the series to protect his students, namely from Camula and Bonaparte. Hopefully, I could keep him at arms' length until he got over his prejudice.

The time was coming soon when the duelists of this academy would have to band together to face the dark. I could hope Crowler could find the bravery hidden his heart when the demons descended from the shadows.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The rest of the week passed by without incident. As it turns out, final exams were in fact incredibly easy. Not gonna lie, it was a bit fun cruising through the exams while the other students spent all hours of the night studying for them. Hey, I've been there and I've done my time. If I must go through the school system a second time, might as well enjoy it! Alexis in particular kept asking me to study with her. I agreed, but she seemed rather frustrated when I showed up with only my phone and a novel to read while her backpack was loaded down with textbooks. I carried her bag for her, but oddly that didn't seem to make her feel better as I played online blackjack on my phone. I think Adam's bad habits were starting to rub off on me.

"Fucking twelves again!" I would yell in the middle of a crowded library, much to her chagrin.

"Shut up! I'm trying to study!" Alexis said in a loud whisper as she looked over my shoulder at the game, her books lying unopened on the desk we shared.

"What do you think, should I hit or bust?" I ask glibly.

"Umm...what do those terms mean again?" She scratched her head with a look of embarrassment.

Sighing, I said, "Hit means I get another card. Bust means I quit and hope the dealer has less than me. I can't go over twenty-one, mind you."

"Why do they have to make these card games so complicated?" Said the Duel Monsters prodigy. She deliberated for a moment before answering "Hit."

"Bold one, aren't you?" I say before getting another card. An eight! That puts me at twenty, which was a near-optimal outcome. Sure enough, the dealer revealed his hand to total eighteen, meaning I just got another hundred dollars to spend on trading cards! What a glorious day this is.

"Hey, I think you're a good luck charm. Let's play one more game, then you can study or whatever." I say with a grin, turning my head so that we were suddenly face to face.

"And I think you're a bad influence." She replied shakily, her face flushed as she returned to her work. "Look, I really need to study, alright?"

"Sure thing. If you need help, let me know." I smirked before returning to my game.

I had taken my last test on Friday morning before going to work that afternoon. The contingent from North Academy would be arriving any hour now, so Adam and I were likely to miss their arrival. I wasn't particularly looking forward to seeing Chazz again, but it was good to know he would be joining Duel Academy again soon. A duelist of his caliber would soon be needed on our side.

I worked at the cash register, but the place was pretty much dead. Sure enough, Harrington Rosewood came out of the office after about 90 minutes. At the same, I saw the guys in the back come out as well, walking towards the punch clock.

"We're closing up for the day, Lancaster." Rosewood said glibly. "The Northerners are here, which means the school duel is just about to start. Hard to believe that Slifer Slacker made it this far, huh? Almost makes me want North Academy to win."

Suppressing my annoyance, I gave him a bland smile and clocked out as soon as possible. I met up with Adam and we walked with the rest of the Rosewood Sporting Goods staff down to the pier. Sure enough, two large iron barges were docked there. Their rough, warlike appearance stood in sharp contrast with the normally commercial ships that came around here.

A crowd of media representatives already crowded the area, with reporters for dozens of international television channels and news stations rolling their cameras already. I imagine more than a few amateur streamers were here as well, although I doubted a platform like Twitch had been invented yet. I underestimated just what a big deal this game really was- this event was getting damn near as much publicity as the Fifa World Cup did back in my world!

I saw Jaden in the center of a crowd of interviewers. To his credit, he seemed to be handling the attention with aplomb. In fact, he seemed by all appearances to acting as he did normally, as if he were speaking to Syrus or Chumley. Behind Jaden was Sheppard, who was all nervous chuckles and 'aw-shucks' gestures. I'm sure the reporters were doing everything in their power to wring some interesting story or drama out of him, but they'd have better luck squeezing water from a stone.

The iron ships opened up at long last to reveal the party from North Academy. Slowly and steadily, the chant could be heard from inside the barge, silencing the buzzing reporters.

"Chazz it up! Chazz it up! Chazz it up! CHAZZ IT UP!"

Chazz Princeton emerged, accompanied by at least eight goons on either side, with an additional horde of twenty more Northerners behind him. He was dressed in his distinctive black trench coat, and his hair had grown slightly longer since the last time I had saw him. His skin was pale as a ghost's- clearly, they got far less sunlight in the far north than here. He was certainly trying to look intimidating, but he was in fact still a rather gawky fifteen year old boy who hadn't filled out yet. It was his presence, the airs he put on that led to his kingly image. But what had changed most were his eyes- there was real rage there, and this time he had the power and ability to exact his revenge on one of the two duelists that had humiliated him so.

From across the lot, our eyes met- coal grey versus emerald green. My gaze was blank, careful not to betray any sort of surprise or shock. His eyes narrowed in unmistakable anger. It seemed that time only let his wounded pride fester. I refused to look away first- I would not be cowed by the likes of him.

"What's up, Jamie?" Adam asked, sounding rather bored. This affair held little fun or excitement for him, since he had no money on the line. I was forced to acknowledge him, and thus turned my head.

"Oh, I see." The gambler said slyly, despite my not answering him- he could catch onto things fast when he applied himself. "Princeton is the duel rep for North Academy. I bet he wishes you were the rep for Duel Academy right now."

"I'm sure he wishes for a great many things." I mutter. "But he would be better served focusing on the challenge laid before him."

At the front of the pack was Headmaster Foster, looking decidedly shabby and disheveled. "We have arrived!"

Sheppard wove his way through the crowd with deceptive speed. "Foster, good to see you again, you old so and so! How have you been?"

"I have been just fine, Sheppard. In fact, I am rather excited to get this duel underway. We have been preparing extensively since that rather swift defeat last year." Foster said unctuously.

"Oh, it was a close match." Sheppard offered charitably.

"No, not really. But the past is over and done with. We both should look forward to the results of today." The resentment rolled off of him in waves, but Sheppard either didn't notice or ignored it.

"Yes, to a spirited match between our two fine schools! I take it the usual wager is in effect?' Sheppard asked.

"Of course. That's what makes this all worthwhile." Foster replied, his sterling eyes strafing over the crowd until they finally settled on Jaden. "Ah, you must be the representative for the central academy. Jaden Yuki, is that right?"

"Yep, that's me!" Jaden said with an audacious grin. "So, what is Chazz doing here?"

Foster seemed somewhat taken aback by Jaden's casual attitude. Chazz strode up to his rival, a stony look on his face. "I'm here to duel you, Jaden."

"Woah! You're North Academy's duel rep? That's crazy! Why did you transfer?" Jaden asks in confusion.

"Because I stopped getting the respect I deserve here. Because my growth stagnated and caused me to be surpassed by my lessers. Because in the North, I am a king. And as a king, I have come to take back what is mine- the knowledge that my dueling skills are unsurpassed!" Chazz declared ostentatiously. I had the feeling he had been preparing this speech for months.

"Hail the king in the north! Hail The Black Thunderbolt! Chazz it up!" The northern students howled in adulation.

By this time, Adam and I had made our way over to Jaden. The hero duelist glanced over, happy to see us. Chazz stepped forward, leaning in so that none of the onlookers could hear.

"And once I'm done with Jaden…you're _next_ , Lancaster." Chazz growled. I said nothing in response- speaking would only give credence to his threats.

I merely turned to Jaden and said, "Best of luck today. Just trust your instincts and don't overthink things. Do what you've always done and you'll come out on top."

Jaden nodded. "You bet! It's time to show what a hero is really made of!"

Before Chazz could reply, the sound of helicopters grew too loud to ignore. Everyone stared upwards at the new arrivals, arrivals that were most unwelcome in my opinion.

The area quickly cleared out to make room for the helicopters touching down. Swiftly, the doors opened to reveal none other than Slade and Jagger Princeton. It disturbed me how similar they looked- both men were in nearly identical three-piece suits, with Slade's a dark charcoal and Jagger's a navy blue. Otherwise, they both had similar expressions- haughty, arrogant, and dismissive. Their eyes were exactly the same as Chazz's- grey and stormy.

I had done my research on these two- they certainly made no secret of their exploits, and it seemed as though the Princeton family was always on the internet's top news sites. Slade was a high-ranking member of Japan's House of Representatives, and one of the youngest members in the House at that. He was currently enjoying his second year in office, and was a popular member of the Liberal Democratic Party, which was at this point in history was damn near unopposed when it came to matters of policy. Jagger, on the other hand, was one of the most affluent investors this side of Warren Buffet. Some said the man only saw the world in the form of numbers. He was currently a primary shareholder in Industrial Illusions, although rumor has it he aims to sink his teeth into Kaibacorp. Their entire lives revolved around the acquisition of power- the concepts of love and laughter were completely alien to them.

"Little brother!" Slade bellowed. "It's certainly been a long time, hasn't it?"

I didn't think it was possible, but Chazz became even angrier, a vein throbbing near his right temple. Boy, this day was like the perfect shitstorm for him. "What are you two doing here?" The king in the north snarled.

"Why so hostile, bro? We just wanted to see you compete. We were so worried we'd never see you again after you fled from Duel Academy. But look at you now! We heard rumors of some rising star in the North who called himself the Black Thunderbolt…let us catch up before the match starts." Jagger said with false cheer. Chazz's eyes narrowed even further, his arms tightly crossed. The Northmen stared at the older Princeton brothers warily. Sheppard and Foster were frozen- this was far beyond their pay grade.

"Wait, those two are Chazz's brothers?" Jaden questioned. "In the biological sense, yes." I muttered. "Man, these guys are pieces of work, that's for sure." Adam grimaced.

The tense scene was broken up by a cameraman, of all people. "Let's hurry inside people, we're live in twenty minutes!" He said. I nearly laughed at that.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seating was scarce- the main Academy duel arena was definitely at max capacity for this event. I said goodbye to Adam. He would be recording the match and posting it to his fledgling Youtube channel. He decided to take an upper level seat so as not to get caught by the teachers or any disciplinary figure. Considering I was one of his three subscribers, I had to wonder just how many views it would get. According to one of the cameramen, this duel was getting nearly twenty million views worldwide. Absolutely insane stuff.

I looked around for the crew, finding them sitting in some nice aisle-side seats. Syrus, Chumley, and surprisingly Zane were sitting in the row above Bastion, Erin, and Alexis. Strangely, Alexis and Erin sat a seat apart, even though it would have made more sense for them to sit together...I gulped audibly. Everyone seemed unusually quiet, as though they were watching me. I caught Zane's eye, and I noticed the barest hint of a smirk on his normally stoic face. Something tells me the bastard knew what was happening, and enjoyed it greatly. I'm not a harem protagonist, damn it! This shouldn't be happening to me!

Silently, I took my seat between Erin and Alexis. For "It's been a while since we've all been together like this. How are you all?" I say awkwardly.

"Jamie, the last time we were all together was the party last Friday." Syrus, the little thorn in my side, corrected.

"Oh, right." I said, clearing my throat. "So, how about that local sports team?"

"Oh look, there's Chazz! I'm sure he's happy to see you." Erin said, her mood seeming to lighten at my stilted attempts to break the ice.

"Yeah, he's really gone off the deep end. I don't think his brothers are helping the situation at all, either. They're putting enormous pressure on him to succeed today. I'm just glad he didn't see me in the Obelisk Blue uniform!" I reply, feeling more at ease now that the conversation had a bit of flow.

"Jaden's got this." Alexis said firmly, her arms crossed.

"You're right." I say gently. "Chumley, pass me some of those Skittles, my man."

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is finally time for the tenth annual Central Duel Academy School Duel to begin!" Professor Crowler announced. Why they let him of all people on the mic was beyond me, but oh well. "In this corner, representing Central Academy is the prodigy of Slifer Red, the Hero duelist, Jaden Yuki!" Having to talk up Jaden was probably causing Crowler chest pains. Still, Jaden received loud applause from the students, even the Obelisk Blues. Of course, no one was louder than our band, who had been supporting the Hero duelist since day one. Jaden smiled and waved at us, looking for all the world like this was simply a normal, everyday duel.

"And in this corner…" Before Crowler knew it, Chazz had snatched the microphone out of his hand. AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" started playing over the loudspeakers.

"The Chazz will introduce himself!" The North Academy students in the crowd all stood and cheered for their hero. "I am the king in the north! The Czar of North Academy! The Black Thunderbolt! And I'm here today to Chazz it up! Now let me hear you say it!" Chazz roared.

"CHAZZ IT UP! CHAZZ IT UP! CHAZZ IT UP!" The Northerners shouted. Hell, I was tempted to cheer it myself. Let it never be said that Princeton doesn't know how to work a crowd.

"Man, I'm really excited to duel you again, Chazz! Let's do this!" Jaden said with his usual zen sensibilities.

"You shouldn't be so hasty to rush to your defeat!" Chazz, all bluster and arrogance, said as they both activated their duel disks **. (Jaden 4000/Chazz 4000)**

Jaden picked rock (poor, predictable rock) and Chazz picked paper, allowing the king in the north to start off. "I summon **Masked Dragon (1400/1100)** in attack mode!" The small dragon with bone-white mask and wings descended to the field. "Next, I'll set one card face-down and end my turn."

"My go!" Jaden drew. "I summon **Elemental Hero Wildheart (1500/1600)** in attack mode! And then, I'll attack your dragon with wild slash!" Jaden's vaguely Native American looking warrior leapt into the air, wielding a dull hunk of metal as a sword. With a mighty swipe, Chazz's monster was cleaved apart. **(Jaden 4000/Chazz 3900)**

"There you go, Jaden! Way to get the first hit!" Syrus cheered. I stewed in thought; something about this didn't seem right. I didn't remember the duel going this way in the show.

Then, it hit me. It was a minute detail, but somehow it stuck with me. Chazz summoned his dragon in face-up defense position in the show- a move that was illegal in the real game, and apparently here as well. Since Chazz was counting on his dragon being destroyed, he had every reason to put in face-up defense position if he was able- the dragon's lower defense points would make it easier to destroy, and he would take no damage from the battle as well.

What I realized from this conclusion is that now I could no longer fully predict the outcome of the duel, as a change was already present in the game state. I also had to wonder why Chazz didn't simply set the dragon. Maybe he was worried Jaden would choose not to attack if he didn't know what the face-down monster was.

"Are you feeling alright, Jamie?" Alexis asked. "Yeah, I'm fine." I reply shortly, trying to think about the potential moves both players had available to them. My fingers were steepled and my eyes were narrowed in thought. Two seats down, Bastion watched the game with an identical expression.

"Thanks for that, cause now I can summon my **Armed Dragon LVL 3 (1200/900)** from my deck!" Chazz declared. This new dragon was somewhat cutesy with its small frame and orange scales, and somewhat tough with its very sharp and spiked armor plate. Scanning the crowd, I noticed Slade and Jagger looking none too pleased. It looks like Chazz decided to use his own cards instead of the ones his brothers supplied for him. Generally speaking, I would have used whichever cards gave me the best chance for victory. In this case, the gesture was symbolically valuable- it represented Chazz choosing to fight on his terms, as his own man.

Considering the crushing pressure placed upon him, I found it a remarkable course of action.

"Alright, I'll set a card and end my turn." Jaden said, unfazed.

"Damn right you will!" Chazz growled. "Now, during my standby phase, my Armed Dragon LVL 3 levels up to 5 **(2400/1700)**!" Suddenly, the small dragon evolved and grew rapidly, as though it were in a time-lapse film. It's scales darkened to a deep crimson, its spikes sharpened dangerously, and the armor turned black. However the creature was clearly not finished with its evolution; its arms were gangly, too long for its body, and it possessed a rather rotund belly.

"Now, I'll attack your Wildheart!" Chazz thrust his hand forward as his dragon reared back a spiked fist.

"Not quite, Chazz! I activate my trap card, Hero Barrier! This lets me negate one of your attacks so long as I have a hero on my field!" Jaden responded. Chazz's dragon was stopped by a blue shield of electricity, separating it and Elemental Hero Wildheart by only a few meters.

However, the king in the north was undeterred. "You think that can stop me? During my main phase two, I discard Axe Dragonute from my hand to activate my Armed Dragon's special ability. My dragon can destroy one monster on the field with equal to or less attack points than the one I discarded. And since Axe Dragonute has 2000 attack points, your Wildheart goes bye-bye!" A burst of shrapnel jets out of the Armed Dragon's fist and tore apart Jaden's hero. "I'll end my turn with that, slacker."

"So far, Jaden's managed to keep a good defense up." Bastion commented.

"Yeah, but he usually doesn't have to pool all his resources into holding out like this. Hopefully he can draw something strong soon- if he can stop that Armed Dragon before it levels up completely, he'll have a chance to win." Erin added.

"Jaden will win, he always does." Alexis said confidently, almost in opposition of Erin. Zane and I coughed. Alexis sputtered, "Well, he usually wins, I mean."

"Man, that's a powerful card- shame I'm gonna have to take it down! I summon **Elemental Hero Bubbleman (800/1200)** in attack mode! Since he's the only card I have on the field, I can draw two cards!" Jaden said as his rather silly-looking aquatic hero took the field. It appears that Bubbleman has its anime effect as well, making him more powerful than he was in the real life game.

"Next, I'll activate the spell card **E-Emergency Call**! This card lets me add one Elemental Hero from my deck to my hand. I choose Sparkman!" Jaden quickly rifled through his deck, picking out the card he wanted before the duel disk auto-shuffled his deck again. That was quite the neat feature, although I had to wonder how hackers haven't taken advantage of it by now. Then again, Kaiba was probably able to make his own tech damn near impenetrable if his knowledge of hacking was taken into consideration.

"Now, I play **Polymerization**!" The crowd of Central Academy students cheered- Jaden's prowess at fusion summoning had gained him quite the reputation on campus. The only question was what the crafty Slifer was going to pull out of his hat this time. He was lucky- in this time period, the extra deck (or fusion deck as it was known here) had no upper limit. After the introduction of Synchro monsters, Konami elected to cap the extra deck size at 15 cards, due to the extra deck resources suddenly becoming much more powerful. But right now, the only caveat on the fusion deck was that one could only have three copies of the same card in it. Still, one could stuff the fusion deck with forty cards if they so desired, and something told me Jaden did just that.

"I fuse Elemental heroes Sparkman, Avian, and Bubbleman to summon **Elemental Hero Tempest (2800/2800)**!" Jaden's mighty hero descended to the field, its electric arm cannon pointed directly at Chazz's dragon. I always thought Tempest was a pretty cool looking card- shame it takes so many resources to summon.

"Now, I attack your Armed Dragon!" Tempest loosed a bolt of blue energy from his arm cannon, charring Chazz's dragon. Personally, I prefer my dragon meat medium rare, but to each his own. I scanned the crowed again, finding Chazz's brothers- they were starting to look agitated, which made me pleased. **(Jaden 4000/Chazz 3500)**

"I activate my trap card, **Call of the Haunted**! This card lets me revive a monster from my grave, and I choose Armed Dragon LVL 5!" Like a bad headache, Chazz's dragon returned to the field, good as new. Sighing in frustration, Jaden set a card face-down and ended his turn.

"C'mon Chazz, let's take it to the next level! Chazz it up! Chazz it up!" Headmaster Foster, forgoing all decorum, started up the chant again. The Northerners kept cheering for their hero, undeterred by the life lead.

"That's right!" Chazz looked momentarily bolstered by the support of his people, but before long, the stress set in again. I don't know about anyone else, but I noticed how he grinded his teeth, how tight and drawn his posture was, how his eyebrows were always furled. He couldn't be any more different from Jaden, who looked loose and limber. "It's my turn! And I'll start off by using my Armed Dragon's special ability! By discarding my Despair from the Dark from my hand, I can destroy a monster with 2800 or less attack points. Say goodbye to Tempest!"

Another volley of spikes was shot towards Jaden's Elemental Hero. Jaden grimaced. "I activate my reverse card, **De-Fusion**! As the name implies, this cards lets me de-fuse my Tempest into his original fusion materials!" As Jaden spoke, his hero disappeared, causing the shrapnel to miss. The heroes Avian, Bubbleman, and Sparkman all took the field in defense mode.

"Clever move, but my dragon still has his regular attack! Go, and destroy Sparkman!" Chazz's dragon easily shredded the voltic hero, but Jaden still had plenty of resources to work with. Honestly, Jaden was having a slightly better go at this than he was in canon. Wait a minute, did I just jinx him?

"You won't be able to defend against me forever, slacker, especially since my dragon is about to level up again! These are the very best cards North Academy had to offer, and I plan to unleash their full force on you!" Chazz boasted.

"I remember you saying something like that before, Chazz! You ought to know that every card has their strengths and weaknesses- what really matters is the duelist using them!" Jaden responded, and I wondered if he could see the Ojamas yet. I couldn't- I was unable to see purely ethereal dueling spirits like Jaden, Chazz, or Chumley could.

"Be quiet! I've had enough of your empty platitudes!" Chazz yelled. As he ended his turn, the Armed Dragon underwent another metamorphosis- its armor shone with a silver, metallic gleam, now covering nearly its entire body. It grew larger too, now easily five or six times Chazz's height.

"Strength is the only thing that matters in this world! Everything else is a delusion for the weak! Now meet **Armed Dragon LVL 7 (2800/1000)**!" The dragon screeched down at Jaden, an extension of his master's rage.

"This kid is starting to sound psychotic. What happened to him up North?" Erin seemed unsettled, a sentiment I could certainly understand.

"Sadly, I believe this anger has always been a part of Chazz. Alexis and I went to the same prep school as him, and even as a little kid, he was always obsessed with being strong. Strength and power are good qualities to have, but that was all he was ever concerned with. He always seemed to think everyone was looking down on him, and was hell-bent on proving them wrong, no matter what." Zane said solemnly.

"In the very beginning, it was different. I still remember the day I first met Chazz. We were ten years old at the time. He was kind…but he was always a little awkward and dorky around me. I pushed him away as gently as I could…my other friends didn't like him either." Alexis confessed.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Chazz had a crush on Alexis even back then? I wonder what would have changed if she chose to accept him. Would he have become a better person for it? Or would his worst traits have rubbed off on her for the worst? Part of me wanted to pass judgment on Alexis for this, but really, they were both little kids at the time, and it's not like she was obligated to be his friend. Still, it was a highly fascinating tidbit of information.

Jaden seemed concerned as he heard Chazz's cold words. "Chazz, the only reason you should be dueling is to have fun, whether you win or lose! Dueling is a way to express yourself, it's not a way of war."

Unfortunately, Jaden's words seemingly fell on deaf ears. "That's easy for you to say, you always win! Always, without fail! But you're not going to win, not this time!" Chazz bit back. The Northerners greatly supported this statement.

"We'll see where that attitude gets you." Was all Jaden said as he drew his next card. "I'll set a monster and end my turn."

"Smart." I said suddenly, surprising my friends. "Armed Dragon's effect doesn't work on face-down monsters, only face-up ones. This will force Chazz to use up his regular attack if he wants to destroy all of Jaden's monsters."

"Are you certain?" Syrus asked. "When did you read the card's fine print?"

"Armed Dragon has an article on the Duel Monsters Wikia, Syrus. Its picture is also in the main card catalogs. After all, it would be silly if the exact wordings of card effects were unknown to the general player base." Bastion replied dryly.

"Oh, I suppose you're right." Syrus said hesitantly.

"I draw." Chazz paused, considering his strategy. "First, I play **Pot of Greed**." Good lord, this new banlist can't come soon enough. I mean really, Pot of Greed is still legal in this time period? And I say this as someone who plays Black Luster Soldier!

"Now, I'll discard Flying Kamikiri #1 to destroy your Avian and Bubbleman with my Armed Dragon's special effect!" With a furious swipe, Jaden's heroes were summarily destroyed. "And then, I'll use my regular attack to wipe out your face-down!"

Jaden smiled as his last monster was destroyed. "Thanks for that! You just destroyed my **Wroughtweiler (800/1200** )! When he's destroyed by battle, I get to add an Elemental Hero and a copy of Polymerization from the graveyard to my hand! I choose Bubbleman!" That was smart- now Jaden would be able to draw another two cards by his Bubbleman's effect, since he no longer had any cards left on his field. Chazz grumbled before setting a face-down and ending his turn.

Jaden drew, but seemed displeased with his new card. "Alright, I special summon Bubbleman, letting me draw two more cards. Next, I'll set two cards face-down and end my turn." Jaden must have bricked hard if that's all he could do with the number of cards in his hand.

Chazz snapped the top card off of his deck. "I activate my trap card, **Ojama Trio**! This card summons three Ojama tokens to your side of the field, each with zero attack points and 1000 defense points! Thank me later!"

As Chazz spoke, the three distinct gremlins touched down on Jaden's side of the field. Elemental Hero Bubbleman sweatdropped as the tokens began dancing around in lewd fashion. "Man, something tells me this little gift comes with some strings attached…" Jaden smiled ruefully.

Suddenly, Jaden and Chazz froze for no reason I could discern. "Wait, did you guys hear that?" Chumley said from the row above me.

"Hear what?" I asked sharply.

"I thought I heard one of those duel monsters talk!" Chumley responded uncertainly. Everyone looked at the koala like he was off his rocker, but I think I understood. One of the Ojamas must have said something that only Jaden, Chazz, and Chumley could hear due to their connection to duel spirits. The rest of us heard nothing- as if the speech never occurred at all.

"It was probably someone else in the stands, Chumley." Syrus placated. The rest of the group seemed to accept this makeshift explanation- it was the only way things made sense.

"Chazz, you have a duel spirit as well! That's really cool, man!" Jaden said loudly, and I imagined his Winged Kuriboh was probably floating next to his shoulder.

"Ha! Those foolish Ojamas are the least of your concerns. You haven't seen my real duel spirit yet…" Chazz smirked viciously.

"Wow, you have more than one! That's really something! What's your other one?" Jaden said with boyish excitement.

"You'll find out soon…" Chazz's tone was menacing, but Jaden only looked more pumped up to continue.

"What are they talking about? I can't hear them from up here, and their microphones appear to have stopped working." Zane observed.

I couldn't hear them either, but from what I had already deduced, it was highly likely that Jaden and Chazz were talking about duel spirits. It was probably no coincidence that the microphones attached to their shirts stopped recording right as they started to delve into that particular subject. I bet the duel spirits were interfering with the communications to prevent the crowd, and therefore the world at large, from finding out about their existence. I would also bet the guys in charge of the audio were freaking out right now!

Sure enough, the microphones began working again as soon as Chazz began announcing his next move. Many members of the group, Zane and Alexis in particular, seemed very suspicious. I imagined Jaden and Chazz would have some explaining to do after the game was over.

"I discard Ojama Yellow from my hand to activate Armed Dragon's effect, allowing me to destroy all of the Ojama tokens on the field!" With yet another swipe of its blades, the dragon ripped apart the helpless Ojamas.

"Those tokens weren't a free gift- they inflict 300 points of damage each when they are destroyed! Pay up, Jaden!" Small explosions went off in front of Jaden, although they were more annoying than anything else. **(Jaden 3100/Chazz 3500)**

"Now, I'll summon another **Masked Dragon (1400/1100)**!" The small red and white dragon looked rather intimidated next to the comparatively enormous Armed Dragon, but it would do its duty.

"Now, Masked Dragon, attack his Bubbleman!" The smaller beast destroyed Jaden's loyal hero for the second time around. "Finally, your defenses have been worn down, and my Armed Dragon can attack you directly at long last! Hit em with sonic shredder!" The large dragon's mounted blades glowed with green energy. The beast looked thrilled to get a direct shot at Jaden!

With a screeching strike, Jaden was flung back to the edge of the arena from the dragon's claw. The central academy students were distraught that their hero seemed to be on the edge of defeat. **(Jaden 300/Chazz 3500)**

"This isn't looking good." Bastion murmured, causing Alexis to give him a dirty look. I couldn't help but agree. Jaden was in a really bad spot, even though his hand advantage was really good considering it was the mid-late game. Granted, he had spot removal in his deck as well as an unknown face-down, but now he had a lot of ground to make up with no room for error.

Jaden slowly picked himself, but rather than looking worried as everyone expected, he was laughing. "Now this is what I like!"

"You like getting beaten? Man, you really are a hopeless case!" Chazz cackled, power-tripping.

"No, not necessarily. I like facing strong opponents- they bring out the best in me! And now you're gonna see just what I've got in store, Chazz!" Jaden said courageously.

"Let's go, Jaden!" I cheered with a fist bump, causing a chant of "SLIFER, SLIFER, SLIFER" to start up amongst the Central Academy students, at last rivaling the Northmen in volume.

"Now is the time to strike back! I play **Special Hurricane**! Now, by discarding a card, I can destroy all Special Summoned monsters on the field! I hate to say it, but it looks like your dragon's time has come!"

Chazz's Armed Dragon was suddenly electrocuted by a bolt from the blue, and the crowd supporting Jaden was thrilled. "Man, that was a good meta call. I didn't think Jaden had that card in his deck." Erin commented.

"He did so at my suggestion. I noticed that his deck was lacking in specific monster removal, so he picked up a copy of Special Hurricane on the cheap just in case. I'm just glad he drew it when he did." Bastion added.

"Yeah, you got that right. Now Jaden can fuse again and turn this thing around!" Syrus said with a raised fist.

"Next, I'll activate **Fusion Recovery**! This spell lets me add a Polymerization and a fusion material monster from my grave to my hand. I'll choose Elemental Hero Avian!" Jaden continued.

"That's why you discarded the Polymerization in your hand for Special Hurricane- because you knew you'd get it back!" Chazz hissed.

"Hey, now you're catching on. You can probably guess what I'm going to do now!" Jaden said as the hologram for the Polymerization card appeared behind him. "I fuse Elemental Heroes Avian and Burstinatrix to summon an old favorite; **Elemental Hero Flame Wingman (2100/1000)**!" Jaden's favorite monster took the field with a mighty cry.

"I'm sure this card looks familiar, doesn't it Chazz? My Flame Wingman's been waiting for another chance to roast you, and here it is! Attack his Masked Dragon with infernal rage!"

The Flame Wingman swooped down and directed its dragon arm (?) towards Chazz's dragon, which shrieked in pain as it was engulfed in flames. **(Jaden 300/Chazz 2800)**

"You of all people should know about Flame Wingman's super power, Chazz! You take damage equal to Masked Dragon's attack points!" Jaden cried. Flame Wingman landed in front of Chazz and let loose another torrent of flame, blasting the king in the north back with a squeal of pain. **(Jaden 300/Chazz 1400)**

The flames died down, but the crowd didn't- the Northerners booed and hissed, while the Central students cheered. "Damn, damn, damn!" Chazz growled as he picked himself up. Even though the attack was a hologram, I could have sworn I could have smelled burning hair. If only!

"That certainly puts Jaden in a better position." Bastion said.

"No kidding?" I added with a smirk.

"Sorry, that was a bit obvious…I only hope Jaden has some protection for his hero." Bastion responded sheepishly.

"First we'll see what Chazz summons off his dragon's effect." Erin chimed in.

"I won't go down like this! My Masked Dragon's effect lets me summon a dragon from my deck! I choose **Lancer Dragonute (1500/1800)** in attack mode!" To the field, a green-scaled dragon holding a small white lance flew.

"Alright, I set two cards face-down and end my turn." Jaden said, looking a bit calmer about his position now that Chazz's Armed Dragon was destroyed. I wasn't sure how Chazz could come back from this.

Chazz looked uncertain, and if the stress was getting to him before, it seemed to be overwhelming him now. But that all changed once he drew his next card, which seemed to make him glow. It looked like this duel was far from over.

"I told you that you would see my real duel spirit soon…and that time is now! Prepare to fall, slacker! I summon **Red Wyrm (1700/1600)** in attack mode!" A bright crimson dragon descended to the field next to Lancer Dragonute.

"Now, I play the spell card **Double Summon**! And if I need to explain what that card does, you're dumber than you look!" Chazz gloated.

My eyes widened. In that moment, I knew what card he was about to play. But where did he get it…?

"I sacrifice my two monsters to summon **Light and Darkness Dragon** **(2800/2400)**!" Chazz chanted, calling forth his true ace monster. The dragon nearly blinded half of the stadium with its glowing white plumage and scales, while the other half looked at the pitch-black side of the creature and thrilled in horror. It was a beautiful beast, there was no doubt about it. In equal measures aesthetically pleasing and yet supremely disturbing in its divided nature, it wasn't hard to imagine this creature having some sort of larger significance in the realm of duel spirits.

"Ah, I see it. That's incredible…" Jaden said, awed by the dragon's grace and power, and yet brave in the face of it. "Let's see what kinda power it's got!"

"Now do you see? I have formed a bond with my cards just as you have, Jaden. These cards are not merely weapons to be used by me in battle- they are my loyal soldiers!" Chazz raised a fist, and the two dozen Northerners in the crowd did the same. "And together, we ride to victory! Light and Darkness Dragon, destroy the Flame Wingman along with the rest of his lifepoints!" From its mouth, the dragon unleashed a swirling blast of black and white at Jaden's hero.

"I activate the trap card **Mirror Force**! Sorry, Chazz. It's an impressive looking monster, but it's going down." Jaden said confidently.

"Jaden, that's not going to work!" I said with my head in my hands.

"Not this time! Light and Darkness Dragon instantly negates any spell, trap, or monster effect activated while it's on the field at the cost of 500 attack and defense points each time." A bright shine emanated from the dragon's body, and the Slifer's trap card was destroyed. A few moments later, the dragon's laser destroyed the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman. At the very least, Chazz's monster was weakened to the point where Jaden could survive the attack. **(Jaden 100/Chazz 1400)**

"Jaden's hanging by a thread…" Erin worried.

"He's got a few cards left. That dragon is powerful, but it has a weakness- Chazz can't choose when to negate card effects. That means that Jaden can potentially wear down its attack points to the point where he can attack it. Even if he fails, Jaden can still activate card effects in a chain. He might get out of this yet." Zane pointed out, and I had to agree with him.

"He'll need to chain something…" I murmured.

"Draw your last pathetic card so I can end this, Jaden." Chazz said smugly.

"My deck has no pathetic cards, Chazz. But it does contain the unstoppable **O- Over Soul** , which lets me summon a normal Elemental Hero from the graveyard! I choose Sparkman!" Jaden declared.

"Ah, Elemental Hero Sparkman! It's not possible! No one has ever been able to call him! Oh wait, your effect is negated by my dragon. Calling your card unstoppable was probably a bit of an overstatement, eh?" Chazz mocked, even as his dragon's attack points dropped to 1800.

"I was counting on that! To your dragon's effect, I chain the quick-play spell **Flute of Summoning Kuriboh**! This flute lets me summon…a Kuriboh. Specifically, **Winged Kuriboh (300/200)** in defense mode from my deck." Jaden's ever-faithful spirit companion emerged on the field with a cute little "poyo" noise. It was a remarkably intelligent move- by utilizing chain links correctly, Jaden was able to still activate at least one card effect.

Chazz looked between his Light and Darkness Dragon and the Winged Kuriboh, and the two monsters seemed to recognize each other as well- even I could see it. They seemed to be old friends- the dragon's behavior became gentler, and the Kuriboh's eyes looked sad.

"Hey, are you alright little guy?" Jaden asked his duel spirit as the rest of the crowd looked on in bewilderment. Chazz merely gave his dragon a strict look, clearly having no patience for anything that stood in his path to victory.

"Hey, I think our cards know each other from some place." Jaden said to his rival.

"So it would seem." Chazz said tepidly. "There is so much more to the world of duel spirits than I could have imagined…"

"Our cards have a bond, and through this duel, so do we. Come on Chazz, I know you have way too much talent to be held under your brother's thumbs. You belong here." Jaden said. I could only hope his words were having an effect.

"….is that the end of your turn?" was all Chazz replied with, and I swore I could have felt the temperature of the room fall a solid ten degrees.

But Jaden just kept on smiling. "Not quite. I set a monster in defense mode. Your go, Chazz. Man, you really have changed. If your convictions are so strong…then show me."

Chazz drew, but looked displeased at his new card. "I summon **Flying Kamikiri #1 (1400/900)** in attack mode!" A large insect with green scales and red eyes clicked and snapped its mandibles as it descended onto the field.

"Now, Light and Darkness Dragon, destroy his Winged Kuriboh!" Chazz commanded. However, his dragon did not move. It stayed stock still, in silent defiance of his master.

"Has something has gone wrong with Chazz's duel disk?" Bastion questioned.

"I don't know…but something is up here. Something about this duel is fishy." Erin said suspiciously. Alexis and I shared a glance- we both, on some level, knew what was happening, even if we couldn't strictly see spirits ourselves. Our experience with Jinzo (and my prior knowledge of the series) taught us that there was always more to this game than what meets the eye.

Chazz seemed to be engaging in a silent battle of wills with his rebellious dragon, knowing that he would look insane if actually talked to the monster mid-game. Of course, Jaden had no such reservations. For some reason, Light and Darkness Dragon refused to attack Winged Kuriboh.

Chazz was clearly confused and enraged by what was happening, but he couldn't voice it out loud at the risk of looking insane. "I've changed my mind. Instead, my Flying Kamikiri will attack!" The humanoid insect lunged forward and sliced the Kuriboh in two.

Jaden seemed confused as well, but there was no time for him to contemplate what was happening. "When Winged Kuriboh is destroyed, I take no battle damage for the rest of the turn!"

"Wrong, my dragon negates that effect as well! It's too late, Jaden!" Chazz said fiercely as his dragon's attack points dropped to 1300. Now that Winged Kuriboh was destroyed, it seemed that the dragon was willing to obey Chazz once more.

"I was counting on that! To your dragon's effect, I activate my own face-down **Call of the Haunted**!" Again, Jaden took advantage of chaining to keep up a defense, even in the face of the dragon's powerful effect. "I choose to bring back Wildheart!" Jaden's tribal warrior returned to the field with a grunt.

"Wait, how does that ruling work? I thought Wildheart was unaffected by trap cards." Syrus asked, and it was a good question. Frankly, I wasn't sure how that worked either.

"It's a curious ruling to be sure. How it works is that Wildheart is only immune from trap effects while he is on the field. He can still be summoned by traps from the hand, deck, or graveyard, however. The ingenious part, though, is that now even if Call of the Haunted is removed from the field, Wildheart will remain because he is unaffected by trap effects while on the field. And now he's strong enough to take down both of Chazz's monsters. Jaden may play the fool, but he knows the ins and outs of his cards. He's a genius at dueling, and these are the situations he excels in."

"Indeed." Zane agreed. "from what I've seen, Jaden's better at tactics than strategy. He trusts his instincts, for better or for worse."

"Let's hope his instincts lead him to victory." Alexis added hopefully.

I stayed silent, my green eyes calculating and my fingers steepled again. I glanced over at the elder Princeton brothers, and I noticed that they held similar expressions- they seemed placid, but intensity boiled beneath the surface.

"I end my turn." Chazz hissed, only one card left in his hand.

"I'm gonna keep on rolling, then!" Jaden said. "I know better than to try to use any of my remaining cards while that dragon on the field staring me down. Wildheart, attack the Light and Darkness Dragon!"

Bravely, the wild man leapt into the air, that blunt hunk of metal a generous man might call a sword heaved behind him. With a swing, Chazz's dragon was appropriately cut in half. **(Jaden 100/Chazz 1200)**

"Damnit! But you're not out of the fire yet, Jaden! My dragon has a special effect! When it's destroyed, I must destroy all cards on my field." Chazz's Flying Kamikiri was obliterated as he spoke. "But in return, I can target one monster in my graveyard and special summon it! Rise, Armed Dragon LVL 5!" The spiked red and black dragon returned once more, looking just as aggressive as ever.

"Man, that thing really is like a bad fucking headache!" I cursed. Jaden better have one more card up his sleeve, or else he's done. Erin sighed in agreement, and the mood was unbearably tense in the stands.

But Jaden still had one more trick in his arsenal. "I'm betting everything on this card! I activate the last card in my hand, **Miracle Fusion**! This lets me fuse elemental heroes on my field and in my graveyard!" I had to wonder what he was going to play. It was his main phase two, so he would have to create a hero that could survive the next turn.

"I fuse the Wildheart on my field with the Elemental Hero Bubbleman in my graveyard to summon **Elemental Hero Absolute Zero (2500/2000)**!"

"Brilliant!" I exclaimed. I had no idea Jaden was packing that kind of power! In a flash of snow and ice, a hero wearing pure white armor and cape descended to the field. In his hand was an icicle spear sharpened to a fine point. This was one of Jaden's best options. It was strong enough to swing at Chazz's Armed Dragon, and if Chazz got over it with a card effect, all of the monsters on his field would be destroyed. All Jaden had to do was last another turn, and he would pull out the big W.

"That's it for my turn." Jaden said, his expression hopeful.

Chazz took a haggard breath and took what was looking to be his last draw of the duel. With what seemed to be a great effort, he made his features blank. What was that card he drew?

"I switch Armed Dragon to defense position. Then, I'll set one card face down and end my turn." Chazz said neutrally. The crowd was so still one could hear a pin drop. That face-down had to be a bluff, and even if it did destroy Absolute Zero, Jaden could still win if he summoned another monster next turn. Things were looking almost certainly to be in Jaden's favor.

"It's time!" Jaden drew. "Now it ends! I summon **Elemental Hero Heat** **(1600/1200)** in attack mode!" A warrior with red and white armor styled after the appearance of a burning flame raced onto the field. As one might suspect, it seemed that Elemental Hero Absolute Zero didn't like the appearance of this fiery hero. But for the sake of victory, they put their axiomatic differences aside. "He gains 200 attack points for each hero on the field, including himself! That puts him at 2000 points."

"That's enough to beat the Armed Dragon! Jaden's won!" Syrus raised his fist in the air, causing many Central Academy students to do the same.

"It's over! Elemental Hero Absolute Zero, destroy Chazz's Armed Dragon now!" Jaden thrust his fist forward, and his fellow students began cheering for his great victory. "This can't be happening!" I heard one of the Princeton Brothers curse.

I looked at Chazz. The king in the north didn't look worried at all, and in that moment, I knew everything was about to change.

"I already told you, it's too late Jaden! Activate reverse card, **Magic Cylinder**!"

I felt chills, and my mouth hung open in shock as Jaden's attack was reflected right back at him, costing him the duel. **(Jaden 0/Chazz 1200** )

Chazz did not look upon his opponent, nor did he search for his brothers in the stands. He stared right at me with his right fist raised, with an expression that could only be described as vindication.

"THE KING IN THE NORTH! THE KING IN THE NORTH! THE KING IN THE NORTH..." The North Academy students cried.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. Sorry Jaden fans, but he'll get plenty of shine down the road.**

 **To answer Chocolate Shaymin's question from the last chapter, the reason I gave Chazz the three Ojamas from the beginning, rather than just Yellow to start off with, is because it doesn't look like Chazz will be visiting Duel Academy in the forseeable future. In canon, he discovers Ojama Green and Black in the well of forgotten cards before his big duel with Slade. For the sake of expediency, I gave him the three Ojamas off the bat.**

 **Chazz's character is at a crossroads, and what he will do from here will be seen in the next chapter. I hope I did this duel justice! In other news, Bastion is trying to get with Jasmine- who knows how that's gonna pan out. Jamie, meanwhile, is going to be rebuilding his "public" deck with respect to the new box coming out over the winter break. All of these plotlines and more will be explored in the next exciting chapter of State of the Meta! Cue the DBZ outro music!**


	11. After The Storm

Chapter 11: After the Storm

The northmen all stood, whooping and hollering at the comeback victory of their champion, of their king. Slade and Jagger stood as well, clapping in a restrained, yet still pleased manner. Meanwhile, the students of Central Academy, from the lowliest Slifer to the most elite of the Obelisks, were equalized in defeat.

"CHAZZ IT UP, CHAZZ IT UP, CHAZZ IT UP!" drowned out all other noise. This was insane. This wasn't supposed to happen. In no universe, in no timeline was Chazz supposed to defeat Jaden at the school duel. What was going to happen now?

The fact that Chazz beat Jaden in the same way I beat Chazz salted the wound further. I had no doubt Chazz added that card to his deck hoping that something like this would happen, and now everything has gone sunny side up for him. Would he spend the rest of his life as a drone, an automaton to carry out his brothers' collective will? Would he remain in the north? Or would he establish independence in his own way?

Both Jaden and Chazz were swarmed by presences from various media sources. Reporters and interviewers from news stations, independent websites, and bloggers were out here trying to get a word in with both duelists, more so Chazz obviously. I wanted to hop out of my seat and rush to the arena floor, but unfortunately, the stairs were crowded with people trying to get out. By the time we managed to get to the floor, most of the short interviews were already finished, and both parties were preparing to leave. As our group approached, Jaden and Chazz were exchanging words.

"I may have lost, but that was a sweet duel! You sure Chazzed it up!" Jaden said good-naturedly, but he seemed less cheerful than usual.

In light of his great victory, Chazz seemed calmer, as though a great load had been lifted from his shoulders, at least for a while. "The score has been settled between us, Jaden. We're even now."

"Until the rematch, that is." Jaden added, and surprisingly, Chazz wore a small smile on his face. "Indeed."

"You know, I could tell you were under a lot of stress during our duel, and I know why." Jaden leaned forward and lowered the tone of his voice by a bit, but I could still hear him.

Chazz's expression hardened again. "You don't know anything about me or my circumstances."

"I know enough. I know that you can't live this way. It's never going to be enough for them. Your brothers will ask for more and more until you have nothing left to give. Don't let them take away your passion for dueling! You'll never have fun again if you go with them." Jaden pleaded passionately.

For a moment, it seemed as though the hero duelist had gotten through to Chazz. It would be amazing if Chazz could somehow be persuaded to remain at this school despite his victory, but I doubted it. I, for one, knew that Jaden's words were accurate. But Chazz caught sight of his brothers talking to reporters across the room, and his resolve strengthened once more.

"Fun…life isn't about fun. You're still a child." Chazz said stonily. Jaden opened his mouth to respond, but Chazz continued.

"I was raised to be a conqueror, to win at all costs. I wasn't winning here, and things couldn't stay the way they were. So I had to make a choice. Eventually, a day comes when we all make a choice, and that is the moment when we grow up from a child to an adult."

"You don't have to give up on everything that makes your life enjoyable to grow up!" Jaden protested, but Chazz was unmoved.

"I could choose to pursue my quest for greatness, or I could stay here, as a Ra Yellow student, and live a life of mediocrity. My brothers didn't make that choice for me. I did. I struck out here with nothing but the clothes on my back, that dishonored Obelisk Blue uniform. I made a name for myself up north. Those people in the crowd gave me honor, respect. And I, as their king, have brought respect and honor to them."

We all were driven to deep introspection upon hearing Chazz's words, but he wasn't yet finished.

"Life is about building a legacy with your own two hands, so that people can look upon your creations and say 'that is a great man'. My brothers did that, as horrible as they are. My father did that, before he died. And I will do that myself, through dueling. Let me tell you all something, you students of Central Duel Academy." We all leaned in, and the white noise of the crowd ensured that only we could hear Chazz's next words.

"My brothers offered me a briefcase full of the most powerful dragon support cards in the game. If I had taken them, then perhaps my chances of victory would have been more certain. But I refused them. These cards of mine are the prize of North Academy. They're not the best cards in the game, there is no denying that. But I took a risk and played with them because I'm loyal to the North. After this victory, I will never doubt myself again. And I will never be my brothers' puppet." Chazz said heavily.

We said nothing in response to this. What could we say to that? It was clear that Chazz had made up his mind. And frankly, it was hard to argue against him. I couldn't help but feel as though I understood Chazz the most of us all. I had lived a long life before this one, and I knew that taking responsibility for the big choices was one irreconcilable part of growing up. But Jaden had a point too…to deny pleasure and fun makes one hard, cold, and irascible.

Then, Chazz turned to me, his teeth grit. "I haven't forgotten about the humiliation you dealt me that day…it was only about two months ago, and yet it seems like a lifetime away. In a way, I have you to thank for everything that has transpired since then."

"Hey, just buy me a coffee sometime and we'll call it even, my liege." I joked, but my heart wasn't really in it.

Chazz narrowed his eyes. "I have tried to learn from my mistakes…next time, you won't catch me with one of your despicable traps."

"That's what they all say." I reply.

Chazz gave me a sour look for a moment, my comments clearly angering him. "Just a friendly reminder, Lancaster, when we duel I won't be as _nice_ as I was with Jaden over here. I would put you in your place right now, but sadly it is time to leave." He scanned over the onlookers, his former classmates, but had nothing to say to any of them. I noticed, however, that his gaze lingered on Alexis for a moment longer than the others.

"Farewell. I have a feeling we'll all meet again someday." Chazz said soberly, as though his words were prophecy.

"You bet! Safe travels, Chazz." Jaden's capacity for kindness was always astounding to me.

The king in the north merely nodded before turning about-face and joining the North Academy students…. joining his brothers. I had to hope that Chazz's words were true and he could avoid the poisonous influence of his siblings. This was one of the first cases I could recall where my canon knowledge was no longer applicable. I had no idea what would become of Chazz now.

Looking after him, I felt a distinct sense of melancholy. Our group silently went our separate ways for the rest of the day, wanting to be left alone with our thoughts.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Chazz Princeton POV

Ah, what a glorious day!

At long last, Chazz Princeton had finally reclaimed his pride, and defeated one of the two forces that had sent him on his downward spiral, and then on his path to kingship. After he had said his last words to his former classmates, Chazz was surrounded by his fellow Northerners….his people. They hoisted him into the air and cheered.

"Hey, what the fuck are you guys doing?!" Chazz shouted in initial shock, but he was pleased when they went for another round of "CHAZZ IT UP!"

"Oh, right. I nearly forgot." He chuckled. "It feels good to be the king, baby."

"Hail to our Czar, Chazz Princeton!" Sergei boomed. He was Chazz's predecessor as Czar, and one of the North's finest duelists. However, he bore no resentment to Chazz for taking his position- indeed, strength was one of the few qualities he respected.

"Hip hip hooray, hip hip hooray!" The students childishly chanted. Chazz thought this display a bit cheesy, but he considered that this was the first victory, the first glory that North Academy had earned in a great many years. And besides, they were cheering for him- he was the last person who wanted this applause to end.

And yet, as he looked back one last time at Jaden's group, he felt something strange…a twinge of jealousy? No, it couldn't be! He was THE Chazz, an elite duelist from a powerful family, the strongest duelist at North Academy. He himself had more disposable money than many families did gross income. He cared nothing for these weaklings…or at least, this is what he told himself.

They carried him all the way outside, down the hills and to the pier once more. Hilariously, his brothers attempted to stop the party, presumably in order to speak with him, only for the crowd to shove right past them.

Headmaster Foster, in a remarkable breach of decorum, was literally clacking his heels together as he jumped for joy. "Oh Chazz, I could kiss you right now!" He said as the crowd of students finally arrived at a stop near the docks. "But instead, I'm gonna plant the biggest smooch of my life on the angelic Miss Duel Academy! Oh, there is a god!"

Chazz couldn't help but feel bemused at his headmaster's profound sense of joy. Whoever this Miss Duel Academy was, she must be the biggest dime piece this side of…Alexis Rhodes. Wait a minute, surely Miss Duel Academy wasn't Alexis Rhodes, not a chance in hell…why couldn't he stop thinking about her lately? The past was dead and gone!

With a scowl, he banished all thought of the girl from his mind. "Congratulations, Headmaster." He said as the crowd put him down.

"Hey, it's all thanks to you, my boy!" Foster said joyously. "She should be here shortly."

"I can't wait." Chazz said sarcastically, hoping they could leave before those bastards caught up with him-

"Congratulations on your great victory, little brother."

Chazz turned on a dime at the sound of his older brother's voice. The North Academy students began to spread out and mill around, seemingly sensing that they were not welcome in this particular conversation.

Slade and Jagger gestured to the bow to the ferry, and so the three of them moved onto the boat, away from the ears of the masses. The view of the sea was incredible, but Slade and Jagger cared nothing for even a short glance, instead devoting all their attention on their wayward brother. Chazz wished that they would look away.

"You took a great risk today, not using the cards we provided for you." Slade started off bluntly. "Whose cards were those? We don't recall you ever having the Armed Dragon series before."

"They were a gift from Headmaster Foster after I became the Czar." Chazz replied shortly.

"Ha!" Slade barked. "Such ridiculous titles have no place here. Amongst the unwashed masses, perhaps…but you will not put on airs with us. You are called king, but your power is miniscule compared to ours. But I suppose it hardly matters which cards you use as long as you win. It looks like your gamble paid off, although that was a damn close match. Jaden Yuki sure gave you a run for your money, huh?"

"How dare you judge my dueling skill! I could beat the both of you in a duel easily!" Chazz stood, indignant.

They both laughed, an unpleasant sound. "That is not what we mean when we speak of power. Whether we can beat you in a duel is utterly irrelevant. Despite what some think, not every decision is brought about via a card game in this world. We will permit these schoolchildren to call you king, but to think that this popularity gives you power over us is absurd. Still, the people love dueling, and you will provide them with entertainment as you have today."

"If you think I duel to entertain people you're insane!" Chazz ground out.

"You will duel to conquer the competitive climate of this game just as we have taken over the worlds of politics and finance. And you will never turn your back on your family again. Soon, the Princeton family will rule the world!" Slade said coldly.

"Rule the world, huh? Remind how successful your attempts to buys shares in Kaibacorp have been!" Chazz shouted again. He refused to be cowed by his tyrannical brothers.

However, Jagger only smirked coldly. "Seto Kaiba is a trifle for us. In time, we will supplant him. All we need to do is get a majority of the shareholders on our side. The winds of change are blowing, and Kaiba will make way for new blood soon enough."

Chazz thought that attempting to take over Kaibacorp from the inside was a remarkably stupid idea. Kaiba was even more ruthless than his brothers, and significantly more intelligent. For over a decade, he had been warding off enemies to his position, and had only grown smarter over time. As soon as Chazz opened his mouth, however, Slade interrupted him.

"Do you realize how bad it looked when you flew off the radar for six weeks!? It was a publicity nightmare. We were feeding bullshit to the press left and right. Thank Ra you emerged in the North of all places when you did."

Chazz stewed in silence- he wished, more than anything, that he could start over in another life, another dimension where he would be freed from his past obligations. For a while, he thought that escaping to the North could provide such a release. But soon enough, the past came back to bite him. Then again, if he were reincarnated into a different life, he would probably just goof off and make snarky remarks at people all the time. _"Just like Lancaster…"_ He growled inwardly. He couldn't wait to put that Obelisk Blue pretender where he belongs- in the mud!

But more than anything, he wished that he could free of his brothers. Even starting at rock bottom, back in the Slifer Red dorm would be better than this! But he had duties that he couldn't ignore. He was a Princeton, for better or for worse.

"What is the next move?" Chazz said dully.

"You will remain at North Academy and see out the rest of your education there. Your popularity there is useful as well, despite the enemies you have earned at this school. During your time there, you are to develop contacts for entry into the pro leagues after you graduate. Do whatever you must, and draw on any and all resources the family has available to advance your position." Jagger said. "Celebrate your victory today, brother….it is the first in a string of endless battles ahead."

"We will call upon you when your services are required, Chazz. After all, you are our equal now." Slade finished harshly. In the distance, a Princeton helicopter landed on Academy Island.

Chazz nodded slowly. All the while, his eyes brimmed with resentment. He had to find some way to be free of them or else he would go insane…if he hadn't already.

"Yes, brother." Chazz answered emotionlessly.

"That's right, little bro. Power is what matters! Now go out there and win for the family…for our family." They both cackled briefly before walking away, leaving Chazz to brood alone.

"Damn them…" The Black Thunderbolt snarled. No matter what he accomplished, Slade and Jagger always made him feel like a helpless child, hanging onto their coattails. His good mood was utterly ruined; it certainly didn't feel as though he had just won the biggest duel of his life. If anything, he felt worse than before.

As he brooded, he failed to notice that his duel spirits had materialized all around him. Despondently, Chazz stared at the ground for a while until the soft rumblings of his Light and Darkness Dragon commanded his attention. With quiet dignity, the dragon was perched on the ship railing. Around the giant dragon were the three Ojamas, buzzing around and goofing off at usual.

Chazz's lips twitched upwards slightly. At least he had friends, truly, in the form of his cards. Those bonds were something his brothers could never take away.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

As it turned out, the ever so beautiful Miss Duel Academy was actually Miss Dorothy from the old card shop in a Dark Magician Girl outfit. If Chazz was in a hurry to leave before, he was the first one on the boat after that particular display. Was it his imagination, or was Foster staring at Sheppard the whole time he was kissing Dorothy? It looked like a bizarre form of revenge. There was probably a story there, but Chazz had no interest in learning of it. People could be so absurd sometimes.

The return voyage was much more dull for Chazz than the trip from North Academy. Perhaps it was his excitement at finally defeating Jaden that made the trip go so fast the first time- now, it was a relatively bland affair. Despite his abject boredom, Chazz did look forward to telling Jesse of his victory. At times, the Crystal Beast user's relentlessly cheerful attitude annoyed him, but in many ways he was Chazz's only real friend now.

" _It's too late to look back. The choice has been made."_

At the very least, Chazz was distracted from his brooding by the sheer party atmosphere on the boat. Sergei and the boys found the secret vodka stores hidden underneath floorboards and behind bookshelves, and they were deep in their cups at all hours of the day. At times, Chazz was roped into joining the festivities, but most of the time he spent in his room catching up on homework or reading.

After half a week of sailing, they had finally made it back to Northern Russia. North Academy stood proudly amidst the ice and snow, a man-made structure in rebellion against the harsh reality of nature. It felt good for Chazz to put on his furs again- it felt right. At last, he was alone again, away from Jaden Yuki and Jamie Lancaster and Alexis Rhodes and his thrice-damned brothers.

The sky was clear, and the air was cold and still. Every student at North Academy stood in formation at the docks, a welcoming party to greet their victorious brethren. Even if it was snowing, Chazz knew that these people would still have stood outside to greet him. It was an immensely gratifying feeling. They, of course, had watched the duel live, and Chazz had no doubt that the school had been partying nonstop for the past week. Classes, what are those?

"CHAZZ IT UP!" The students and faculty, nearly a thousand strong, chanted in unison, brought together by the glory Chazz had brought to them. Chazz smiled genuinely at them, waving from the bow of the ship as they finally docked. These were his people.

"Brothers and sisters, for the first time in a great many years, a northman has traveled south and his returned a victor!" The applause grew greater, and Chazz was forced to wait until it subsided somewhat before he begun again. Behind him, Sergei and Foster stood, basking in reflected glory.

"Let this victory serve as guidance for us all- the knowledge that the past does not determine the future. At long last, I have cut away my old life at Central Academy, and this victory will be the first of many!" Chazz raised his fist and bellowed.

The crowd continued to cheer as Chazz's entourage began to leave the ship. He shook hands with every student and teacher who crossed his path, but there was only one person he cared to see.

Eventually, Chazz's searching paid off, and he saw the distinctive teal hair of Jesse Anderson near the back of the pack. His smile was so like Jaden's, and yet Chazz didn't mind the similarity in this instance.

"That was a sweet match, talk about close! I tell you, I wouldn't mind facing that Jaden Yuki kid someday. You weren't kidding when you said he was strong. Looks like that Magic Cylinder came in handy after all!" Jesse greeted casually as they shook hands, his furs rustling in the wind. The crowd began to disperse, members of Chazz's contingent reuniting with their friends and splintering off into their own groups.

"You got that right." Chazz said gruffly, eager to change the subject. "So how have things been up here?"

"Oh you know, cold as ever." Jesse laughed. "I see you're still as grouchy as always, even after such a big win! Come on, you don't have to scowl all the time, Chazz!" He said jovially.

"Yeah, you're right…" Chazz begun. "My brothers were just being dicks, that's all. Nothing to worry about."

"If you say so." Jesse replied, sensing that it was a touchy subject. "I tell you, despite your best efforts to the contrary, you've gotten pretty popular around here. People love to watch you duel. I doubt you'll get any challengers now. So what do you say to a game or two later? Watching that match got me fired up!"

Chazz gave his friend a smile. "Very well, Jesse. We should keep our skills sharp. Something tells me that things won't get any easier from here on out…"

Even as he looked towards the future, Chazz still thought of the ones he left behind. In the night, before sleeping, their faces and words flit into his thoughts, no matter how hard he tried to forget.

 _"It's too late to look back."_ Was what Chazz would repeat to himself endlessly.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **Shorter chapter, mostly focused on character development rather than plot progression. I was considering including this material in the previous chapter, but I couldn't help but feel as though it would have been too long. Ehh idk. Either way this wraps up Chazz's three chapter mini-arc.**

 **I'll say it again, it can't be said enough- the feedback on this story has been so amazing, I'm speechless. Thanks to you all! I'm glad you all seem to dig this.**

 **Anyways, Chazz has returned to North Academy, and by the looks of things, will be continuing the rest of his schooling there. However, this is not the end of his story! Chazz will not be involved in the Seven Stars/Shadow Rider arc, it's true, but we will catch up with him down the road. This story will expand on canon in many ways- Chazz, Jesse, and North Academy are all valuable pieces of a greater whole. Of course, Chazz has not yet had his rematch with Jamie, so you know at the very least those two will cross paths again. I mean Chazz straight up hates him, so he'll make something happen.**

 **Next chapter...well, let's just say the title of the next chapter is "Gorilla Mindset". And it it's not filler, as this story does not have filler. Hopefully that piques your curiosity!**


	12. Gorilla Mindset

Chapter 12: Gorilla Mindset

The days leading up to the end of term were a blur. There was a strange attitude going around the school- some weren't surprised that a Slifer lost the school duel for the Academy, while others chose to look on the bright side and commend Jaden for his effort. I couldn't be sure of how this would affect the school's reputation in the long run, but the academy's formerly spotless esteem had surely been harmed by this loss. I couldn't imagine how outside observers were reacting to the fact that Sheppard allowed a Slifer Red to even compete in such a prestigious event. And to lose...well, I'm sure the headmaster's seat was getting hotter by the second.

On the whole though, Jaden seemed unaffected by the murmurings of his peers. He didn't care. And I mean he really didn't care. People often say that they "don't care" about things to look tough, but Jaden truly was unmoved by their snide remarks. Still, a certain melancholy clung to him as the final days of the semester. Although Chazz Princeton had never been anywhere near kind to him, Jaden still seemed somewhat sad that he hadn't persuaded his rival to return to Duel Academy.

As for me, I found myself thrown off balance and struggling to realign. Chazz winning the school duel was unexpected to say the least. And that he managed to win in the same way that I defeated him….it was insulting to say the least. I sure as hell wasn't sad that he was gone, but I had to wonder how things would go for him up north. One thing is for sure; he wouldn't become the same person as he was in the anime. In that sense, my knowledge of the future had become less useful, but that was going to happen soon enough anyways. My knowledge of canon was by nature a depreciating asset. At the end of it all, I would become a "normal" person, my preternatural gifts used up.

The ferries were on their way, and we only had about eight hours to go before first semester would be officially in the books. During this time, most of the students were celebrating the end of term with the usual parties, games, and in some cases just sleeping all day.

Zane and I, on the other hand, were in the Obelisk Duel Arena, dueling for the twenty-first time that day. I was lucky I packed first thing in the morning, because I don't think I was going to have time now.

"Cyber Twin Dragon, attack his Chaos Sorcerer with twin evolution burst!" The Kaiser bellowed, his doubled-headed hydra rearing back to fire off a round of blue lasers at my monster.

"Not so fast, bud! I activate my face-down quick-play spell, **Shrink**! This card- ah, fuck it. You know what it does." I say with significantly less enthusiasm, fighting back a yawn.

"Well played, sir, but not well played enough! I chain my own quick-play spell **, Limiter Removal**! This card doubles my Cyber Twin Dragon's attack points, essentially nullifying your Shrink's effect!"

The cybernetic dragon atomized my spellcaster, lowering my life points to zero. **(Zane 500/Jamie 0)**

Zane smiled genuinely and brightly. "That was another well-played duel, Jamie. Playing against you is great! It's been so long since I've faced an equal, and you fit the bill with aplomb! Man, I could do this every day!"

"We have been doing this every day." I mutter, turning off my duel disk. "What does that make the score now?"

"That was the tiebreaker, I'm up 21-20 on you now…so I guess we can go get food now that I'm ahead." Zane said, our stomachs rumbling simultaneously. He was so far from his normally regal countenance- he was letting himself enjoy this moment.

I nodded wearily. Ever since the school duel, I had been dueling with Zane to keep my skills sharp. He wasn't too keen on the idea at first, but now he was in an uncharacteristically good mood. I didn't understand why he was so happy at first, but I suppose it was like he said- he was glad that he finally found an equal to spar against. For Zane, finding a sparring partner to go all out against was nearly impossible- in fact, it was the fundamental issue that defined his character arc in the series.

That problem had plagued him for most of his life- it was truly lonely at the top. Sure, Jaden had tied with him in one of the best duels in the series. Sure, Aster Phoenix defeated him in that fateful match in the pro leagues. But it wasn't until his legendary fight with Yubel, the fight that ultimately resulted in his death, that Zane had finally achieved his heart's greatest desire.

But now, the hunger was sated. I was glad beyond words that I could fulfill his desire. Perhaps now Zane wouldn't embark on the dark road he went down in canon. If the price for that was slogging through these tedious duels, then so be it. It was different, now that I was one of them. These were not characters on a screen, they were people, and friends at that. I wanted the best for them.

"You got lucky with that Limiter Removal, you know." I jibe.

"Ha! As if you haven't gotten lucky several times before. But nothing can replicate the skill with which you wield your cards. You know the most optimal plays like the back of your hand, Jamie. I never thought I could find someone who could reach my level, but somehow, you've done it. I know I seem a bit giddy, but I've been waiting for something like this for what seems like my whole life. It's literally a dream come true." Zane admitted.

"Believe me, I understand what it feels like to want something that is out of reach." I said, and I thought of my old life for the first time in a while. "People live and die trying to grasp that which eludes them. I'm glad I could help you achieve your dream."

"Yes…and yet, I still feel there are new plateaus to reach, far greater heights to which I must ascend." Zane replied as we walked to the Obelisk dining hall. "There are still duelists better than the both of us out there. We must keep improving, and find purpose in the journey, rather than the destination."

It was somewhat of a trite statement, but true all the same. "Indeed." We grabbed out food and sat down to eat. Zane was experimenting with some rare lamb chops, while I was partaking in some buttered walleye fillets with lemon. Have I mentioned the food in this place is godlike!?

"Ah, very good choice. I saw Gordon Ramsey make that one on Masterchef last night." Zane commented. I still couldn't believe he watched cooking shows, but hey, truth is stranger than fiction.

"Yeah, I can't wait to sink my teeth into it-" I said with relish, but as the fork was an inch from my mouth, I heard my phone ring. My ringtone was the 'Bill Nye the Science Guy' theme song.

"I wonder what Bastion wants." I said as I held the phone to my ear. "What's up, bro?"

"Jamie, it's urgent! I was talking an afternoon walk to study some plants, as I usually do, when suddenly I was accosted by what appeared to be a chimpanzee wearing cybernetic attachments! Furthermore, it was carrying my sweet Jasmine over its shoulder! I tried to reason with it, but it simply punched me in the stomach and ran off! How barbaric of him! We're over by the Slifer dorm! Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!" My friend shouted.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in exasperation. I knew I couldn't avoid this damn filler episode. I guess I was lucky enough to avoid the Tarzan-or-whatever-the-fuck-his-name-was debacle, but really, the universe had to throw the damn dueling monkey in my path! What a load of monkey business, eh?

"Well, I'll be right over, I guess." I grunted. Putting my hand over the speaker, I asked, "Do you want to help me find a dueling monkey with artificial intelligence, Zane? Could be fun, don't you think?"

"Meh, no thanks. I would, but I've recorded some Rachel Ray episodes I need to catch up on. I'm sure between you and Bastion's considerable intelligence, you can find some way to subdue a stray chimpanzee. Good luck!" Zane waved.

"Thanks, your support is truly inspiring." I reply sarcastically, rushing out of the dining hall with my food uneaten.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

As I got closer to the Slifer Red dorms, I heard the distinctive shrieks of an angry chimp. Either Bastion had finally snapped, or the monkey was near. As I arrived to the alabaster cliffs overlooking the southern coast, I looked down the way to see the crime scene.

Bastion had his hands on his knees, sweating profusely and out of breath from chasing down the wayward monkey. And yet still, his eyes burned with determination to save his would-be girlfriend. I had to wonder how far a distance he had been running- I walked here from the Obelisk Blue dorms and I had still managed to catch up with them. Something tells me this monkey was toying around with the poor guy.

Wheeler, the world's first dueling monkey, stood with his back to the Cliffside, with Jasmine slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes- or would it be bananas in this case? A mechanical vest was affixed to his chest, with a bright red visor obscuring his eyes. An academy-standard duel disk was attached to his arm- this monkey was ready for war!

I decided to hurry my pace, racing down the stretch until I had finally got within earshot. "Put Jasmine down, you blithering ape!" Bastion roared, shaking his fist. Jasmine didn't seem too optimistic about her, ahem, savior.

"Woah, what's going on here?!" I asked in mock surprise.

"Lancaster, you better hurry up and save me or I'm going to be pissed!" Jasmine nagged. Huh, she doesn't seem to like me for some reason. She was lucky Bastion was here, or I might have kept on walking. Just kidding…kind of.

"Jamie, thank you for answering my summons! The situation is most dire; I was just about to ask Jasmine to hang out over winter break when suddenly, this monkey burst out of the tree line and absconded with her in tow! We must find out why this chimpanzee is doing what it's doing, and we must rescue Jasmine!" Bastion declared heroically. Normally I would accuse him of white-knighting, but I guess milady really did need to be saved in this case.

"So, you were about to ask her on a date, huh? Shoot, I was wondering how that whole subplot- I mean situation went." I asked casually.

"Well, we won't find out unless we save her!" Bastion said urgently.

Wheeler suddenly gnashed his teeth, hearing something off in the distance. He howled, pounding his chest in anger. I remembered reading somewhere that chimpanzees were naturally aggressive animals, known for killing and eating other chimps that invaded their territory. However, they were also somewhat more intelligent and emotive than most other primates, capable of making tools and performing acts of altruism within their tribe. Of course, who knows how this technology was affecting Wheeler's behavior.

Come to think of it, technology that grants near-human intelligence to a chimpanzee should be front-page news- such a thing didn't even really exist in my timeline! Who was funding this research, and for what purpose? It was never really explained in the series, but since the lab in which Wheeler's technology was developed was on this island, of all places…I had to wonder if this wasn't Kaiba's handiwork. But why would Kaibacorp be interested in secretive testing and research? Wait, was this shit even legal?

Luckily, it looked like the two guys in suits running through the brush would be able to answer my questions. They wore sunglasses and held tranquilizer rifles in their hands, but were otherwise just the sort of nondescript goons one would expect to see in a shonen anime filler episode.

"Put the girl down, Wheeler! You've wandered too far off the reservation, so to speak. Well, literally too I guess." One of them said, loading the gun with extreme prejudice. In response, Wheeler grabbed Jasmine and held her directly in front of him. Although she was a small girl, there was no way the boys in black could get a clean shot off.

"Damnit, the students weren't supposed to know about this, Wilson! The project was meant to top secret! We're gonna get raked over the coals for this if they talk!" One of the suits whispered hastily. Damn, with the ways he was talking, Bastion and I were about to get hit with those tranquilizer darts after Wheeler!

"What project are you talking about?" Bastion questioned, not out of anger as I would have, but out of curiosity. Something tells me the scientific knowledge that went into this project was a little above these goons' pay grade.

"The cat's out of the bag, Jones…besides, the work we've done is rather obvious at this point." Wilson sighed. "The Wheeler project…a top-secret research and development experiment funded by Kaibacorp to instill artificial intelligence in chimpanzees. The monkeys are supposed to be trained as duelists and are eventually meant to replace Computer A.I as the best way to simulate dueling a real person. The machinery attached to Wheeler enhances all of his cognitive ability to near-human level. He duels much less predictably than a computer does, but is just as dangerous." He explained hastily.

"So, you mean to tell me that this entire operation is top-secret, yet Wheeler was eventually meant to be revealed to the public anyways? Why?" I asked.

Jones sighed heavily. "Look man, we don't know the full story, we're part-time security guards. Rumor is that the higher-ups at Kaibacorp were working to get some legislation passed in the Japanese House of Representatives that would loosen the restrictions on animal testing. We don't know how high this thing goes…Seto Kaiba has never given this project any direction from what we've seen."

So, it's highly possible whomever was in charge of this project is doing it under Kaiba's nose. It is possible that Kaiba himself would be interested in animal testing, but something like this seems like a little much for him. No, it seemed more likely that someone in upper management was getting ideas. Perhaps this person was trying to advance his position by doing the research in private. Then, when the final product was unveiled, Kaiba would be so impressed that he would have no choice but to reward the man who took the initiative. Frankly, something still wasn't adding up.

"We're gonna get to the bottom of this thing. Something isn't right here. First, we need to rescue our classmate." I said strictly.

"Sounds like a good plan, genius. Problem is, we can't get a clean shot when he's using the girl as a hostage. Looks like his self-preservation programming worked too well. So, if you and your buddy have any ideas, we'd be glad to hear them." Wilson shot back rudely.

"Well, by your own accounts, this monkey was designed with one purpose in mind…to duel. So that's what we're going to do! Wheeler, if you can understand me, I challenge you to a duel! If I emerge victorious, you will give Miss Jasmine her freedom. If you win…well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Bastion said strongly, activating his duel disk. I was surprised by how willful his voice was- he was ready to take this risk, and was confident that he would succeed.

"Hey, there we go. I guess you can think of this as a practice exam, kid!" Jones laughed harshly, but was silenced by my glare.

Wheeler, for his part, seemed to be excited at the prospect of a real fight. With a toothy, feral grin, he activated his own duel disk. "Me fight guy with pointy hair!"

"It seems his speech protocols aren't finished yet." Bastion observed dryly, although he felt up his hair with his free hand self-consciously.

"Wait, Jamie should be the one to duel. He's stronger than Bastion!" Jasmine complained. I appreciated the compliment, but her tone left something to be desired.

"I have complete faith in Bastion. He has a deck for nearly every situation, and something tells me he's not gonna have any problems outsmarting a lower primate. No offense, Wheeler." I drawled, leaning back against the nearest tree. Bastion smiled, grateful for my vote of confidence. Jasmine huffed and crossed her arms, having no other options.

"None taken!' The ape barked through its voice box.

"In that case, it's time to duel!" Bastion declared, before a bemused look took him over. "Well, I don't know what sort of deck my opponent plays. After all, there's no way I could have done any research beforehand. Which of my decks should I play?" He questioned.

"Well Bastion, let's take a wild guess here. What kind of deck do you think a monkey, a beast if you will, would play? My guess is dragons." I snarked.

Flushing, Bastion scratched the back of his head. "Well, when you put it that way, it is a bit obvious. A beast deck, then. I know just what to use." Unbuttoning his yellow coat, Bastion took out a forty-card deck from his vest pocket. "My fire deck should be sufficient for this encounter."

"Man, here I'd thought I'd seen it all…this kid really is prepared for anything." Jones said in disbelief. I shook my head with a grin. They had no idea. Bastion was about to turn up the heat, so to speak.

"Let's duel!" He declared, and the game begun. **(Bastion 4000/Wheeler 4000)**

"So…which one of us is going first…?" Bastion questioned meekly, causing Jasmine to facepalm.

"Don't worry, Wheeler has a rock-paper-scissors algorithm, although between you and me, he always picks rock." Wilson piped up.

"Duly noted. Sounds like someone I know, actually…" Bastion said, looking at me meaningfully. I snickered- what can I say, he was right! I pretty much always picked rock.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get this show on the road. I'm very interested in the details behind this little project, but we have to save your little girlfriend first." I say impatiently, reading my phone. What can I say- filler makes me cranky.

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Jasmine protested.

"Wheeler, I choose...paper!" Bastion thrust out a flat palm.

To no one's surprise, Wheeler threw out rock at the same time. "Excellent. I'll start off, then. I summon **Fire Princess (1300/1500** ) in attack mode!" A young woman clad in baggy red robes appeared, wielding a smoothly hewn wooden staff.

"Then, I'll set two cards face-down and end my turn."

"My turn! My turn! I summon **Berserk Gorilla (2000/1000)**!" As its name might suggest, a rather irate looking ape leapt onto the field, its eyes glowing red with rage.

"Attack!" Despite being programmed with speech protocols, this monkey sure didn't like to mince words. The Berserk Gorilla spewed a stream of white-hot flame towards Bastion's princess.

"Ah, not quite, my fellow simian. I activate my face-down card, **Draining Shield**! This negates your attack and adds the Berserk Gorilla's attack points to my life points!" A bright green barrier halted the ape's fire breath, and eventually the monster had no choice but to call off his attack. **(Bastion 6000/Wheeler 4000)**

"And that's not all! When Fire Princess is on the field, you take five hundred points of damage every time I gain life points! From the tip of her staff, the Fire Princess threw a fireball at Wheeler. Jasmine screamed, seemingly forgetting to the fire was merely a hologram. The monkey screeched in pain as well, causing my ears to hurt. **(Bastion 6000/Wheeler 3500)**

"I set two cards face down! End turn!" Wheeler responded. Bastion didn't miss a beat.

"During your end phase, I activate my other trap card, **Solemn Wishes**! Now, every time I draw a card or cards, I gain five hundred life points." Bastion said, cool as a cucumber.

"And since it is now my draw, I gain five hundred life points, meaning that you lose 500 life points as well." The Ra Yellow student continued. **(Bastion 6500/Wheeler 3000)**

"Next, I'll summon **Solar Flare Dragon (1500/1000)** in attack mode." A serpentine dragon slithered onto the field, its scales made of burning coals and a fiery mane wrapping around its nearly ten meter long body. "I shall set a card and end my turn, which activates my new monster's effect! During each of my end phases, you take five hundred points of damage. Has that line gotten old yet?" Bastion asked facetiously as his opponent was burned once more. **(Bastion 6500/Wheeler 2500)**

I looked up from my phone in interest. Turns out the world news isn't very interesting when you've already lived through this time period once. Watching Bastion pick apart this opponent of his was, though.

"You pay! You pay!" Wheeler was jumping up and down now- it looked like he was a little overwhelmed. I think Bastion only needs one more turn to put this one away.

"I draw!" Wheeler cried. "I summon **Beast King Barbaros** in attack mode! No tributes!" That meant its attack points would only be 1900 rather than 3000. Next to the Berserk Gorilla came a twelve-feet tall beast-warrior. Its fur was brown, but it had shock of white-blonde hair for a mane. Adorned on its humanoid body were golden armaments- in its hands were a blue shield and a spiraling red lance.

"Now, annoying Solar Flare Dragon get smashed! Berserk Gorilla attacks!" Wheeler growled.

"I activate my face-down card, **Backfire**. Now, each time a Fire monster I control is destroyed, you take five hundred points of damage. Ah, now even I'm tired of saying those words!" Bastion chuckled dryly. Although the attack connected, Bastion had plenty of life points to spare- his opponent, not so much. They both ended up taking five hundred each. **(Bastion 6000/Wheeler 2000)**

With considerable frustration, Wheeler announced, "Barbaros, attack Fire Princess!" Bastion's monster was speared, causing Bastion and Wheeler to take more damage. **(Bastion 5300/Wheeler 1500)**

At this point, Jones and Wilson were sitting down and eating out of a bag of sunflower seeds, seemingly forgetting the nature of their job for a while. Shrugging, I decided to walk over and join them. No words were exchanged between us, but Wilson offered me some seeds all the same. I took some and chewed on them, letting my mind go adrift again. Bastion had this one in the bag anyways.

"Alright, I need a good draw here…splendid! First, I gain five hundred points from Solemn Wishes." **(Bastion 5800/Wheeler 1500)**

I looked out at the sea- it was another clear blue day here, but off in the distance, a storm moved to the east. It wouldn't hit us by a long shot, but I liked to see how tall the thundercloud was. What was the scientific term for them, Cumulonimbus? Something like that.

"Next, I'll play **Card of Sanctity** , allowing us both to draw until we have six cards in our hands!" Since Bastion drew again, he gained an additional five hundred life points from Solemn Wishes. Contrary to popular belief, the card did not give you five hundred for each card you draw, just the five hundred per draw effect, if that makes sense.

Man, I wonder why Jasmine doesn't seem to like me very much. Funny enough, if you took out the 's' and the 'n', we had the same name. And yet here I was, over here trying to chill out, and she kept shooting dirty looks every time our eyes met. Maybe I would ask her later.

"Time to solve your equation, Wheeler! I activate **Tremendous Fire**. This card deals a thousand points of damage to you and five hundred to me!" A blazing inferno suddenly overtook the field, briefly diverting my attention from the sea. In a moment, I was distracted again. **(Bastion 5300/Wheeler 500)**

"This is it! I summon **Flame Ruler (1500/1600)** in attack mode." This next monster was a bit strange in its appearance- it was a man hewn out of tiki wood, a statue come to life. Little flames and sparks danced dangerously around its body.

"Now, I attack your Beast King Barbaros with my Flame Ruler!" Bastion sent his monster to battle, even though it was weaker.

"Does not compute! Does not compute!" Wheeler clutched his head in confusion as Bastion's monster was speared by the Beast King. **(Bastion 4900/Wheeler 500)**

"Don't worry, this will all make sense now. Since my monster was destroyed by battle, by Backfire trap still goes off, meaning that you lose the rest of your life points, Wheeler." Bastion said clinically.

With a rather hilariously confused howl, an explosion suddenly went off in front of Wheeler, causing the monkey to fall on his little tushie. **(Bastion 4900/Wheeler 0)**

"You fought valiantly, but I'm afraid this conclusion was inevitable. My math is rarely incorrect." Bastion said diplomatically. He even extended a hand to help the monkey up. Wheeler took it, seeming somewhat confused at the gesture. There was rarely a place for such mercy in the wild, or in the laboratory for that matter.

"Man, that kid really gave Wheeler the business. I think our work might be incomplete." Jones said, impressed.

"Nah." I replied, the ending of the duel bringing me back to myself. "This duel was in the books as soon as I told Bastion what deck Wheeler was using. He's not your average duelist; this kid spends all hours of the day poring over formulas to create the optimal deck for any situation."

"I see that." Wilson responded. "By the way, how could you have possibly known what sort of deck Wheeler was using? How much do you know?" He asked suspiciously.

 _"More than you could possibly imagine."_ I thought. "It was honestly a wild guess. I figured it would be easier to get Wheeler to duel if he used cards that looked like him." Was what I hastily said to cover my tracks.

"Oh, so you were talking out of your ass, is that it? Man, kids these days sure are cocky." Jones laughed harshly.

"Whatever you say, pal." I muttered.

"Well, are you sufficiently impressed, Jasmine?" Bastion said cordially, helping the lady up. She had gotten out of Wheeler's path- the monkey was too shocked at the outcome of the duel to keep an eye on her. For her part, Jasmine seemed to be looking at him in a new light. I couldn't blame her- the way Bastion handled that duel was pretty impressive. Sure, he was dueling a literal monkey, but he also managed to select the optimal counter for Wheeler's deck based purely on the tertiary knowledge that it was a beast deck. He never lost control of the match once- it was more like watching the steps of a complicated math problem than it was a fight.

"Wow, that was really something. You duel like no one else…that was really smart stuff!" She said, brushing back a strand of her ginger hair. Hey, she does appreciate intelligence! What a relief.

"I owe much of my success to my friend, Jamie. He clued me in on which deck I would be facing. I imagine it was a guess, but his hypothesis appeared to be correct. After that, it was merely a point of executing the proper strategy." Bastion said matter-of-factly. Wow, slow down tiger, don't get too mushy with her! Man, I don't get why all of my friends were so unromantic. I mean I know they were high school boys, but good lord. Then again, I guess Bastion did land himself a wife (life partner?) in canon, but those were weird circumstances to say the least. Come to think of it, that business with Tania puts a whole new spin on the phrase "slow down, tiger". I cringed.

"Nonsense, this was basically all Bastion. This guy's an absolute beast, Jasmine, a real galaxy brain on this kid." I threw my arm around Bastion in a chummy fashion, causing him to stiffen.

"Look, this is your chance, just follow my lead." I whispered in Bastion's ear. With a confused expression, he nodded.

"You know Jasmine, Bastion's one of the best duelists in the school. He's even beaten me in a duel before!" I lied. Bastion looked baffled at first, but he managed to school his features soon enough.

"Yeah, right!" Jasmine scoffed.

"Erm, yes, it's true. In fact, I've developed a formula on how to completely destroy Jamie's deck. Really, defeating him was child's play." Bastion puffed.

Alright, now he was laying it on a bit thick. My grip on his shoulder tightened, even as we both still smiled like idiots.

"But that's a story for another time, my dear. We should, um, hang out together sometime. I can tell you all about it then!" Bastion said with some refreshing confidence. There you go, man!

She weighed her options for a moment, but ultimately relented. "Fine…we'll go get coffee, ok?" She suggested, seemingly against her better judgment. Hey, a win's a win!

Bastion smiled widely. "That sounds wonderful, Jasmine. Now then, why don't we all-"

He was cut off by the sound of a tranquilizer gun firing, a loud pop that caused Jasmine to shriek and hold onto Bastion's arm. All three of us turned around to find that Wheeler had keeled over, fast asleep from the dart in his leg. I can't believe I had nearly forgotten about this shady research project!

"So, where do you gentlemen think you're off too?" I ask, causing the two suits to pause.

"We were just gonna bring Wheeler back to the lab and pretend like none of this ever happened. You should do the same." Jones said coldly.

"I take objection with your suggestion, sirs. Before you do anything, I would like to know the extent of these experiments you're conducting, as well as their legality!" Bastion contended.

This seemed to be an uncomfortable question for the two men, judging by the way they halted in their tracks as though someone just pressed pause on the remote control. Wheeler, strangely enough, seemed rather docile in the face of defeat. It was as though he was leaving his fate up to the "alphas", so to speak.

"I don't even want to know the extent of these experiments. The secretive nature of the laboratory and the hasty nature of this escape are evidence enough." I said, still waiting for their response.

"Look, this is above our pay grade- we weren't told the exact nature of the experiments when we took this job, we were only hired to keep watch of personnel coming in and out of the lab. Look, if you want us to contact mister Kaiba about this, then we can." Wilson capitulated, knowing that a few wrong words could turn this incident into a media shitstorm for Kaibacorp.

The three of us nodded, and Jones started dialing, looking increasingly nervous as he did so. As the phone began to ring, he put it on speaker so that each of us could hear what Kaiba would say. This seemed strange- these guys were supposedly low on the totem pole, and yet they had access to Seto Kaiba's phone number? How strange.

After about five rings, I was sure that Kaiba wouldn't pick up, but on the sixth ring, I heard a voice. Suddenly, I was filled with anticipation- was I really going to speak to Seto Kaiba himself?

"Hello?" A distinctly feminine, sweet voice picked up. Okay, what the frig?

"Umm, is this the right number? We're trying to speak with Seto Kaiba." Jones said uncertainly.

"Mister Kaiba cannot come to the phone right now, he's a little, ah, tied up at the moment." The sultry voice replied, causing Jones to tug at his collar nervously.

"Okay, we'll just call back later then." He muttered.

"No, no, no." I cut in impatiently. "We need to talk to mister Kaiba now. This is a sensitive matter that is of great interest to his company's standing." Bastion and Jasmine tried to shush me, but perhaps foolishly I ignored them.

"Hmm…well, I'll see what I can do." She responded, somewhat taken aback from my aggressive tone. Over the phone, we heard the telltale frantic sounds of someone getting ready to meet an unexpected visitor.

"Where in the hell is this call coming from?" Came a frazzled voice. Not the first words I would have expected to hear from Seto Kaiba in this world, but beggars can't be choosers. I couldn't believe I was really speaking to this man, especially because of a dueling monkey. The absurdity of life never fails to make me laugh.

Shaking in his boots, Jones answered, "Um, uh, sir, we're the security guards for the Wheeler Project, we were just hoping to talk to you about-"

"Wait a minute, you guys are Kaibacorp employees? How did you get this number? This is my burner phone!" Kaiba barked.

"Um, sir, this is the number on all of our official paperwork! Hasn't anyone called you from the laboratory before?" Jones hastily questioned.

"Oh, that was a mistake…um, I mean that was a calculated move! Anyways, why are you calling? I only told your superiors to call me when there was an issue…what happened?" Kaiba asked testily.

"Umm, well, nothing major really, just ah…. how do I put this…? Wheeler broke out of the lab and kidnapped a student."

"WHAT?!"

"But luckily, the situation has been completely resolved. The student has been rescued with no injuries to her person, and we have successfully subdued Wheeler." Wilson jumped in with the save.

"So why are you calling me? I was in a very important meeting with a reporter from the Daily Duelist." In the background, I vaguely heard the woman from earlier pouring wine.

"Well sir, in all honesty, two other students in the area helped us find Wheeler in the first place. One of them even beat Wheeler in a duel, which gave us an opening to sedate the monkey. The students were really hoping to speak with you-" Again, Jones found himself interrupted as I snatched the phone out of his hand.

"Hello Mister Kaiba, I'm so sorry to barge in in your interview, it sounds most productive. My name is Jamie Lancaster, I am an Obelisk Blue freshman at Central Duel Academy." I greeted.

"Obelisk Blue, eh? Good man. I take it you were the duelist that took down Wheeler?" Kaiba asked casually.

"No, that honor goes to my friend and former roommate, a Ra Yellow by the name of Bastion Misawa." I replied.

"Hello, mister Kaiba. I regret having to meet under such strange circumstances." The mathematician said humbly.

"Yeah, yeah. So, what's your question?" Kaiba said shortly, evidently no longer in the mood for pleasantries.

"We were simply going to inquire into the legality of these experiments your men have been conducting on the island. The amount of secrecy here seems troubling." Bastion asked.

I could practically hear Kaiba pinching the bridge of his nose. For a while, no one said anything, waiting on Kaiba's seemingly forthcoming response. When one came, I contributed, "It's not legal, is it mister Kaiba?'

"Oh, very well. I suppose you three will be wanting your bribes, then. Tell you what, I have a few options for you- I have this nice washer-dryer combo, a brand new box of the latest card pack, a summer internship at Kaibacorp, or a mystery item. Take your pick!" Kaiba said lazily.

"Honestly mister Kaiba, I'm not sure this is necessary. I think we would all be pleased if you could simply release these monkeys and shut down this clearly unethical operation. That would be reward enough." Bastion replied humbly.

"Speak for yourself!" I grab the phone out of Wilson's hand, an unnecessary move since we were on speaker. "What was that about a summer internship at Kaibacorp again?" I questioned hastily.

"It practically secures starting level positions in our accounting, R&D, and Information Systems positions, along with good starting wages during the internship itself. Academy students also receive a monthly stipend to pay for room and board." Kaiba explained quickly.

"Wow, that sounds perfect! What's the catch?" I asked.

"The catch is that I'm not stupid enough to bargain with literal children like yourselves. If the monkey could be beaten by an academy freshman, clearly the costs of this project outweigh the benefits. I thought this could revolutionize the field of artificial intelligence, but it seems we are still a few years off from the optimal technology being released. For now, I'll be shutting down the Wheeler project and that will be the end of this farce." Kaiba responded coldly.

I felt the sinking feeling of disappointment that comes from being played. Kaiba could have this entire project put away before the press could get a whiff anything strange was going on. In hindsight, to think that I could make demands of him was reckless at best, stupid at worst. This man was a master at handling people.

Giving a weary chuckle, I shook my head. "Fair enough, I suppose." At Bastion and Jasmine's shocked expressions, I hurriedly stammered, "What? I was gonna ask him to free Wheeler too."

"Sure you were." Jasmine said sarcastically.

At this, Kaiba barked out a laugh. "Don't take it personally, kid. I probably would've tried to make the same demands in your shoes. Besides, I should be thanking the three of you for providing some impromptu testing for Wheeler. It's good to know that this idea was fruitless sooner rather than later. What did you say your names were again?"

In bemused fashion, the three of us answered him. "Very well. Keep at your studies, then. If you keep good grades and apply for the internship in the spring, I will have no choice but the hire the best candidates for the job. Miss Jasmine, I apologize for any inconvenience caused by your captivity." Kaiba said smoothly.

"Uh, it's fine…" Jasmine murmured, not knowing what to say to the famous CEO.

"As for Misawa and Lancaster…I will remember your names. As I said, keep your grades up. There may be future opportunities down the road if you do." Kaiba said.

"Awesome. Hey man, sorry about earlier. Felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity, you know?" I said casually.

"Jamie, you can't just talk to Seto Kaiba like that! Do you have any idea how powerful he is?" Bastion worried.

"Don't worry, even I'm not sure how powerful I am…" Kaiba sneered. "Jones and Wilson, you and the rest of the people on this project will be reassigned to central R&D, they've been needing some extra manpower for a while. Tell your directors to call me later. I should probably get some sleep…you can get out of here now, Jessica."

"Aww…" the unknown woman pouted. We heard the sound of clothes hastily being donned before the door opened and closed.

"Any questions?" Kaiba asked groggily.

"Who was that girl in the room with you?" Jasmine asked suspiciously.

"No more questions!" Kaiba snapped before hanging up on us with an audible click.

"Man…that conversation did not go how I thought it would." Jones said with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, how bizarre. It seems we caught him at a bad time…but at this time in the afternoon? Uh, well, anyways, it is good to know that Seto Kaiba himself knows our names, although the way he met us was less than ideal…" Bastion sniffed distastefully.

"He's probably in a different time zone. But anyways, I thought that little discussion went extremely well. I think he liked me!" I say brightly.

"Your unbridled arrogance probably reminds him of himself when he was younger." Jasmine cut in.

"My arrogance is perfectly bridled, thank you very much! And what the hell is your problem with me, anyways? You've done nothing but give me lip since the moment I got here! I don't even think I've exchanged two words with you until today!" I finally explode, growing tired of her passive-aggressiveness.

She turned her head and crossed her arms, not deigning to answer my question. Bastion looked between us with concern, his loyalties torn.

"Well, we'll leave you to your teen drama. Wilson and I have to get ready to relocate, I guess." Jones grumbled.

"All I know is that it's going to be nice to be close to the wife again. Domino City should be a welcome sight. It's been nearly a year since we've been home. I wonder if that old nightclub's still there?" Wilson commented, much more optimistic about the situation.

"Yeah, you're right. Moving's gonna be a pain in the ass, but it will be nice to be home." Jones conceded. "I guess I should be thanking you lot for getting us out of here!" he said with a laugh. The strange thing about Jones and Wilson were that they were normal- utterly lacking in any quirks or oddities like the rest of the cast. They were just two guys at work. They no doubt thought of this little adventure as an ordeal, a pointless waste of time. It was interesting to compare them to someone like Jaden or Erin, who surely would have got a kick out of this if they were here right now.

"Your attitudes are admirable. Best of luck in your future endeavors." Bastion said with impeccable politeness.

Jasmine and I took a break from glaring at each other to give the two suits a friendly wave. Despite their rudeness, i bore no ill will towards them. "Take care, fellas!" I say. "Farewell! Thank you for trying to help me!" Jasmine added. We then returned to the glaring.

Hilariously, Wilson was forced to sling the unconscious Wheeler as they walked into the tree line once again. Part of me wanted to ask after them about the location of the lab, but it didn't really matter if the place was going to be quietly demolished soon.

"Man, what a bizarre little chapter in our lives. Anyways, I believe we were at the part where you explained why you're pissed at me." I say, getting things back on track.

"Don't play dumb, Lancaster! You should know that you're not a good influence on Alexis! She never used to go to parties and play online poker like this until you came along!" She accused.

"Uh, sounds to me like she's just getting out of her shell a bit. Besides, she only plays poker against me, without any stakes, so…" I counter.

She shook her head with exasperation. "You really don't see it, do you?"

Oh, shit. Ok, calm down, Jamie. I'm sure there's some sort of misunderstanding here, that's all. I'm not a harem protagonist, damn it! Is it a harem if it's only two girls? Aw, geez! I thought I was supposed to be above such things!

"If you still don't know what's really going on, just head down to the pier. Alexis and Erin are going to duel there. That might make things clearer for you." Jasmine said before walking off, dragging poor Bastion by the arm.

"Erm, Jasmine, aren't we going to go on our date?" Bastion asked as slid along the grass.

"Hey, the ships are going to be here soon, you guys. Not to be a wet blanket, but there's not enough time for a proper date." I said.

"That's right. I suppose we'll have to settle for getting some coffee for now. You better show me a good time, Misawa!" Jasmine said.

"I'll try!" Bastion chuckled nervously. "See you later, Jamie! Not for nothing, but I'm glad I'm not you right now."

"Likewise." I waved him off. Something told me he was going to have his hands full pleasing that girl. I had no idea that Jasmine was so protective of Alexis, especially since Alexis didn't seem to want or need such protection. She and Erin really were similar, two strong and willful people who are still trying to find their place in the world. And yet they had their differences as well. Erin was warm, competitive, often full of hot air. Alexis, on the other hand, was reserved and distant, yet her heart was far heavier than Erin's with regrets, things left unsaid.

This wasn't supposed to happen, she was supposed to pine after Jaden, or someone else, anyone else. But then, I shouldn't have been surprised- I'm the one who has been flirting with her, pushing her buttons almost unknowingly. This rivalry that has sprung up under my nose is my fault, in a way. Damn it, why did they have to wait until the last day of the semester to duel, though?

"Troublemakers…" I curse before I ran off towards the pier.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **I was sick when I wrote the majority of this chapter, so that's why this chapter might've come out a little...weird. Then again, GX is a very weird series, so perhaps its par for the course. If I wanted to be normal, I would've written an unfinished Naruto harem fanfic and called it a day.**

 **Anyways, this chapter introduces us to Seto Kaiba, one of the greatest anime characters of all time. I mean think about it- if you read the manga, Takahashi originally based Kaiba's characterization off this random rude guy he encountered at a card shop. Now, Kaiba is this insane mix of Vegeta and Tony Stark who has built a corporate empire centered around a card game and an amusement park. He created a boarding school about learning this card game, and he even sent trading cards into SPACE for shits and giggles essentially, incidentally creating one of the main villains of GX in the process. What a batshit crazy character, I love him. He will be returning in the future, that much is assured. Now of course, that begs the question of whether other characters from the original series will show up. It's a definite maybe!**

 **Also, we have seen Zane's character develop in this chapter as well. What do you guys think? With Jamie around, it seems that Zane no longer has to look far for a good challenge, which was a huge part of his struggle in canon. How do you all think this will change his character arc down the road? I have some exciting plans in mind when it comes to Zane, he's a great character.**

 **Otherwise, we see Bastion's fire deck in the chapter, which completely dominated Wheeler. I realize that this occurs later on in the timeline than it did in the show, but this chapter really isn't so much about Wheeler as it is about introducing Seto Kaiba into the plot and furthering this little Bastion/Jasmine subplot. I thought this would be a good time to give our boy some shine. It looks like things are going well with Jasmine too! Lucky him. Meanwhile, Jamie has a bit of trouble on his hands with this Alexis/Erin duel. Who do you think will win? We'll find out next chapter!**


	13. Duel Academy's Very Own

Chapter 12: ...Super Ultimate Mega God Form Ultra Instinct Elemental Hero OP Dragon Sharingan Harem God King Sith Emperor

I rushed down to the pier. Seemed like a lot of crazy stuff had started and ended down there recently. My stomach growled, but I didn't stop to eat, not wanting to miss anything from this match. Half-formed questions began to take shape in my mind, but there were no immediate answers to them.

Many of the students were already waiting by the docks, as the first ships would be arriving within the hour. It was hard to believe that this first semester had passed so quickly. The days are long, but the years are short, as they say.

It looked like I wasn't in time in watch the beginning, but the duel was still in its starting stages. Erin had nothing on the field and five cards in hand, while Alexis had a **Cyber Angel Benten (1800/1500)** and one face-down. They had amassed quite the crowd, although since most of the student body was incidentally waiting for the ships to arrive this wasn't a surprise. Of course, something told me that a catfight like this might have attracted a sizable audience no matter what. The main question was why fight?

"With that, I end my turn. I hope you're not wasting my time, Reid." Alexis said coldly. Cyber Angel Benten stood battle-ready by her side, a fine dress hanging onto her metal frame. Both players seemed to have 4000 life points, which told me the game was early yet. In fact, it looked like the end of the first turn.

"Oh come on, none of us got anything to do but wait. I'm just glad you finally accepted my challenge. You've been dodging me for a few months now, Rhodes! Makes me wonder just why you've chosen now to fight back now that we have a little wager." Erin responded boisterously. "Ever since you've come here, everyone's been calling you the queen of Obelisk Blue, but you haven't had to defend that title until now! Now let's go!"

There was something left unsaid here. What wager was she talking about?

I stood near the back of the crowd, not wanting to attract any attention. I looked around for a familiar face, finally finding Adam at what seemed to be a makeshift wooden stand. The word "Bets" was written in black marker on the front. On the countertop were two boxes, pink and blue in color. Behind the desk sat a rather pleased Adam.

"Let me guess, the pink one is for Erin and the blue one is for Alexis." I ask dryly. "How did you even set up a stand this quickly anyways?"

"I have my ways." Adam waved off. "As far as the spread goes, it looks like roughly 60% are going for Alexis, despite Erin being a year older. Kinda surprised me. Are you gonna throw some gold into the pot, Jamie?"

"Something tells me no matter who wins, I lose."

"No offense, but having two hotties compete over you isn't the worst thing in the world. You normally don't complain when we're busting our asses at work, so why complain about this? Just kick back and enjoy." Sugihara didn't seem very interested in my romantic foibles, but his perspective seemed sound. I really shouldn't be worrying about girls considering the threats that would soon be coming down the pipe. Even if I ended up alone in the end, it was fine as long as the people of this world were safe.

"Did Alexis mention why she accepted Erin's challenge?" I asked, despite knowing the answer in my heart of hearts.

"No, she didn't say why. I suppose there could be any number of reasons why. But there's only a few plausible ones, eh?" Adam responded. "It's probably not wise to bet anyways. I'm gonna have to give all this money back if the ships get here before the duel is finished. I don't think either of their decks are geared for quick victories." He continued.

"Ah, you're probably right. I suppose you're hoping for a quick game anyhow though?" I asked, trying to keep my mind off of things.

"Yeah. By the way, Jaden and the others are over there." Adam pointed over to the front of the crowd, where Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, Mindy, and Zane sat. Jaden and Chumley were absolutely chowing down on buckets of popcorn, causing my lips to twitch upwards.

"Right. So, where are you going for the break?" I clumsily changed the subject.

"I'm visiting some family in Macau, probably gonna work at my uncle's shop. How about you?"

"Just catching up with the family in Domino. It'll be nice to kick back for a bit. I have a feeling next semester is going to be much more difficult than this one."

"Heh, hopefully not. Well, you have a good break, Jamie. Enjoy yourself." Adam said finally.

"You too." I bid. It was good to have a guy like Sugihara around; his down-to-earth ways and enjoyments of the simpler pleasures kept me grounded. That stable perspective was especially important to me, as I was unsure of my place and my role in this world. I wondered when he was going to duel Bastion as I made my way over to the rest of the crew. I haven't even seen him duel yet, come to think of it.

"Well, if it isn't the man of the hour." Zane remarked as I approached. "I took the liberty of grabbing your bags from the dorm. By the way, how did that whole situation with Bastion go?"

"Thanks man." I said, grabbing my backpack and suitcase from him. "Uh, let's just say it was a load of monkey business."

"Hey, where are Bastion and Jasmine anyways? I thought they would be with you." Mindy interjected.

"Uh, they went for a short coffee date. I'm sure they'll join us shortly." I chuckled.

Mindy tittered in response. "A date, huh?"

"Jasmine and Bastion, sitting in a tree, D-U-E-L-I-N-G. That's how that song goes, right?" Jaden commented between shoveling mouthfuls of popcorn, eventually choking on a stray kernel. A strong pat on the back by Chumley solved the issue resoundingly.

"I think you have the basic meaning of it, Jaden." Syrus said with a sigh.

"They grow up so fast…" Zane said wistfully. "But speaking of relationships, how about this duel, huh?"

I grimaced.

"My draw! I'll start by activating the field spell **A Legendary Ocean**! Now, all water monsters gain 200 attack and defense points. Furthermore, all water monsters on the field and in our hands have their levels reduced by one. Because of this, I can summon **Giga Gagagigo (2650/1700 after field spell boost)**! Try saying that five times fast!" Onto the field emerged a giant bipedal lizard partially covered in incomplete cybernetic plating. Its red eyes were wild with rage.

"Man, including those level five water monsters is a really good idea. She can bring out really strong monsters for free as long as that field spell is out!" Syrus commented.

"Yeah, that and level sevens. She can summon Levia Dragon Daedalus with only tribute now, and from there she'll be able to destroy all of Alexis' cards easily." Zane added.

Jaden grinned. "So, the field spell is the most important card in the deck…I bet Alexis already knows what to do."

I stayed silent, my eyes darting between the two rival duelists.

"Next, I'll play **Terraforming** , allowing me to add a field spell from my deck to my hand." Erin grabbed another copy of Legendary Ocean to thin the deck slightly.

"Now, I attack your Cyber Angel Benten! Charge, my monster!" The reptile rushed at the metallic dancer.

"I activate my trap card, **Doble Passe**! This card causes your attack to hit me directly. Then, my monster gets to strike at your life points!" With a graceful pirouette, Benten sidestepped Giga Gagagigo and leapt at Erin. With a slash of her fans, Erin was blown back. Likewise, Alexis took the brunt of the lizard's swing. **(Alexis 1350/Erin 2200)**

"Ugh, Doble Passe is such a bad card. Why wouldn't you just run Magic Cylinder or Mirror Force?" I complained.

"I know, but I think Alexis has a plan here. She's going to ritual summon again. That way, she'll get Benten's secondary effect activated and get some hand advantage." Zane responded.

"Let's go, Lexy!" Mindy cheered.

"I wonder why Alexis didn't use any of these Cyber Angels against me in our first duel." Jaden queried.

"They weren't out at the time, they just came out in that new collector's pack about two weeks ago." Syrus answered. "I just wonder if she knows how to play those cards, and not just use them."

I chuckled. Alexis has some nerve, testing out new cards in a competitive match. The snow angel of Obelisk Blue was renowned for her poise and grace, but let it never be said she didn't know how to throw down some disrespect. Jaden offered me some popcorn, and I gladly took it.

Erin realigned herself, wiping the side of her mouth with her fist. Grinning, she said, "You know how to dance, that's for sure. But it looks like I got the better deal in that exchange. My monsters get super strong in the water! Good luck getting past them! I set two cards face-down and end my turn."

"Brute strength is far from the only deciding factor in a battle. Strategy, patience, and poise are essential as well. I see dueling as an art form, not merely a game. That is the difference between us, and that is why I will win!" Alexis began her next turn. "I summon **Cyber Petit Angel (300/200)** in attack mode." Another fairy made of metal appeared, its pink body a metallic sphere with two angel wings sprouting from its back.

"When this monster is summoned, I can add a Cyber Angel monster or a Machine Angel from my deck to my hand. I choose to add Cyber Angel Dakini." Showing the card to Erin, Alexis' deck automatically shuffled due to the random algorithms of the duel disk.

"Next, I play **Preparation of Rites**. This spell lets me add a level seven or lower ritual monster from my deck to my hand. I choose Cyber Angel Idaten. Next, I can add a ritual spell from the grave to the hand. This lets me get the Machine Angel Ritual I used to summon Benten back."

"Wow, her deck has insane searching power! I had no idea ritual monsters had so much support." Jaden said, impressed.

"It's because ritual summoning is an inherently costly mechanic. A duelist requires at least three cards in hand in order to summon a ritual monster in the first place- the necessary spell, the necessary ritual monster, and at least one tribute that meets or sometimes exceeds the level of the ritual monster. Any ritual deck absolutely needs a lot of searching power- it's so easy to brick otherwise. I've always found that ritual decks are among the most difficult builds to get right. I feel like I'm always adjusting ratios to avoid bad starting hands." I replied.

"True. Plus, unlike fusion monsters, ritual monsters have to be stored in the main deck, meaning they tend to brick more. Frankly, I've never liked them, but it looks like Alexis is making this work." Said Zane.

"Now, I activate **Machine Angel Ritual** once more! I sacrifice Cyber Angel Benten and Cyber Petit Angel on my field to ritual summon **Cyber Angel Dakini (2700/2400)**!" Alexis cried. Her fanboys cheered as one of her ace monsters hit the field.

Benten and Cyber Petit Angel vanished in twin pillars of light, a four-armed woman with steely blue plating appeared in their stead. In her hands were a long lance, a curved scimitar, and a shorter sword with a blue feather tassel on the end. "When this monster is summoned, you must send one of your monsters to the graveyard. Keep in mind that the monster is not destroyed, just sent to the graveyard. Feel free to take your time in making your decision." Alexis snarked, knowing that Erin only had one option available to her.

"Tch!" Erin frowned, forced to send her Giga Gagagigo to the graveyard, leaving her field open.

"Anyways, since I sacrificed Cyber Angel Benten, its secondary effect activates, letting me add a light fairy from my deck. I choose another copy of Cyber Petit Angel." Alexis added yet another card to her hand.

"Now, Cyber Angel Dakini attacks your life points directly!" Alexis thrust her gloved hand forward, causing her monster to rush forward with lance in hand. I don't think she expected the attack to go through, but she just wanted to spring Erin's trap.

Sure enough, Erin was forced to act. "I reveal my face-down card, **Tornado Wall**!" Cyber Angel Dakini's charge was halted by the sudden emergence of three spiraling blue tornados of water. Soon enough, the warrior returned to Alexis' side in retreat. "Now, I won't take any battle damage from your monsters as long as my field spell is up.

"Shoot! That's gonna be tough to play around. I end my turn, but during my end phase, my Cyber Angel Dakini lets me add either a Cyber Angel ritual monster or a ritual spell from the graveyard to my hand. I choose to add Cyber Angel Benten back to my hand." Alexis cursed. I wondered if she ran any backrow hate- I bet a Mystical Space Typhoon would be a welcome sight to her right now! As it is, Erin's pretty much good to go as long as she can keep Legendary Ocean or some equivalent on the field.

"My go again!" Erin drew. "I set a monster. And…I'll end my turn." Erin said shortly. It's probably either a Yomi Ship or a Penguin Soldier. I had to wonder how Alexis was going to get out of this- none of her monsters that I know of could really destroy backrow…I guess she really is going to have to hope for an MST at some point.

Seeming to realize this, Alexis slowly drew her next card. "I set one card face-down and end my turn."

"Ok…I set another monster and end my turn." Erin parroted.

"Oh brother, somebody do something exciting already!" One of the impatient fanboys from the crowd shouted out.

"Piss off!" Both girls shouted right back. They grinned at each other shortly before they remembered they were supposed to be enemies. To compensate for this, they both mean mugged at each other until Alexis started her next turn.

"Man, you've got a couple of spitfires on your hands, Jamie! You remind of a harem protagonist from a light novel!" Syrus said unwisely. "You already have an ice queen and a sporty girl, now all you need is a shy girl and a loli!"

"Shut up! I'm not anything like that!" I responded, highly triggered by his remark. Mindy started laughing uncontrollably, causing my irritation to rankle.

"Ok, sure you're not. Geez…you know, most people would take that as a compliment. Hell, some would kill to be in your position, myself included." The bespectacled boy meekly responded.

"Syrus, our parents said you weren't supposed to be reading those damned light novels anymore! You get into those for long enough and you start to get delusions of becoming a harem king! Wait a second, what's that in your hand?" Zane clamped a hand on Syrus' shoulder.

We all took our attention of the duel to notice that Syrus was holding a volume of High School DxD in his hands. Yelping, the younger brother scampered off, with Zane in hot pursuit. Considering Zane had about two and a half feet of height on Syrus, I doubted the little bugger would get far.

"So, you're starting a harem, eh Jamie? Can I join?" Mindy sidled up next to me, seemingly seductive in her demeanor.

"Get the fuck off me! I'm not a harem protagonist, damn it!" I shake her off, cross my arms tightly.

Mindy clutched her sides in hilarity. "That sounds exactly like something a harem protagonist would say!"

"My turn! And I think I know just what to do to get past your tornado wall!" Alexis started. "I activate **Machine Angel Absolute Ritual**. By tributing Cyber Prima from my hand, I can summon another Cyber Angel Benten from my hand!" In another fiery column emerged her second copy of Benten.

"Now, I'll attack one of your face-down monsters with Cyber Angel Benten!" Alexis' monster flapped her twin fans, causing a whirlwind to run towards Erin's hidden creature.

Sure enough, it was revealed to be **Yomi Ship (1000/1600 after field boost)** , a wooden dingy that was summarily ripped apart from the cutting winds of Alexis' attack.

"When my Cyber Angel Benten destroys a monster by battle, you take damage equal to that monster's original defense points! And since this is effect damage, it bypasses your tornado wall!" Another blast of wind knocked Erin off her feet, causing her to land with a wheeze on the soft green grass. **(Alexis 1350/Erin 800)**

"Damn…but since you destroyed my Yomi Ship, its effect activates, destroying the monster that took it out!" Suddenly, Cyber Angel Benten exploded, with Alexis throwing her arms up to shield her eyes from the explosion.

"It doesn't matter! Cyber Angel Dakini, destroy her other monster!" The blue dancer jumped into the air, pointing her lance down at Erin's last monster. Normally, Dakini would inflict piercing damage when it attacks a defensive monster, but Tornado Wall negated this effect.

The revealed monster was **Needle Sunfish (1700/300 after field boost)** , a seemingly innocuous blue fish. However, before being destroyed, it shot a large needle from its mouth that lodged itself in one of the Cyber Angel's arms.

"When Needle Sunfish is destroyed, I can cause one of your monsters to lose 500 attack points. Therefore, your Dakini is down to 2200 attack points!" Erin explained.

"Okay…I set one more card face-down and end my turn." Alexis said in dissatisfaction. It was clear that this duel wasn't going as easily as she thought it would. Meanwhile, Erin grinned audaciously, looking ready to unleash a powerful attack next turn.

"Oh boy, this is exciting! I can't wait to see what happens next!" Jaden gushed.

"Yeah, this could really go either way…" I murmur.

"Shoot, I'm out of popcorn!" Chumley despaired.

Suddenly, we all heard the distinctive and loud noise characteristic of a ship's horn. The hundreds of duelists in the crowd turned around sharply to find three large ferries slowly docking at the academy piers.

"They're here already! No way!" Syrus said, disappointed. Many of the students shared his sentiments, groaning as they realized it was time to leave the island for a while.

I shared the sentiment as well, because I knew that this semester would almost certainly be the most simple and peaceful my life was going to be for quite a long time. The world could be such a dark and cruel place, there was no use denying it. I knew that in my old life, before I died. And in the back of my mind, I knew that the evils in this world far outstripped the ordinary ones in my old life, at least as far as destructive capability was concerned.

And yet, the good similarly outshines the evil. As I looked around at the friends I had made here, people I once thought mere drawings on a page, I knew that despite everything, this life was still ultimately good and worth fighting for. There were enemies coming, and soon. But having the strength to fight on is also a component of a good life, is it not?

Snapping out of my reverie, I looked at Alexis and Erin, but they seemed to have no intention of ending their match early, not caring if they missed the boat, seemingly.

"Come now, children, it's time to leave!" Headmaster Sheppard and the rest of the teachers appeared to oversee the departure. Crowler, Sartyr, Fontaine, and Banner (shifty bastard) along with many other teachers I didn't have classes with were there to ensure that everything proceeded smoothly. I even saw Vector Drummond, the history professor I defeated in the entrance exams. I hadn't seen the guy since the first day- I wondered if he remembered who I was.

It felt like much had changed since that tumultuous first day. Truly, I felt like a different person now than I did in my old life, in a good way. Part of me wondered if my consciousness merged and mixed with the boy originally named Jamie Lancaster, and that was what caused this. But what I thought was that being here, in this world, with these people, had changed me for the better. The novelty of this experience had well and truly worn off by now, and yet, I no longer felt such great remorse for my old life as I once did. This world was my world, its people my people at long last. There's no way to turn back; we march forward, only forward.

"Miss Reid, Miss Rhodes, I'm afraid you will have to conclude your duel some other time. It is imperative that we board with the appropriate expediency so as not to arrive later than our expected time." As usual, Crowler had a way of making the simplest statements sound complicated and official.

Sighing, Alexis gave Erin a hard, meaningful look. "We'll settle this when we return in January, Erin. As far as I'm concerned, this is a draw."

"I'm not turning my duel disk off first. Come on Rhodes, they can wait until we finish our fight!" Erin protested.

Haughtily, Alexis turned away and turned off her duel disk, causing the card holograms on the field to fade away. Grunting in disappointment, Erin was forced to deactivate hers as well. "Teacher's pet…" She sniped, but Alexis either didn't hear her or ignored her. They both walked over to our group's area to grab their bags.

As they both approached, I gave each of them an even look. Both girls looked surprised that I was there, but Alexis seemed more bashful than Erin, who seemed practically pleased in comparison. Both shared a sense of expectancy.

"Oh, hey Jamie…." Alexis started awkwardly. Erin merely gave me a lazy wave.

"What is this about?" I asked coolly.

"It's like I said; I've been wanting to duel Rhodes since the beginning of the term. I couldn't stand the idea of waiting over winter break, so I stepped forward." Erin explained haughtily. "We had a little bet going."

"And what exactly were you wagering?"

"The next time the loser draws the golden eggwich on sandwich day, they have to give it to the winner." Erin said facetiously.

I gave her a droll look, and she knew that this little rivalry went beyond a mere sandwich. I was the prize in this game, and in going this far, they were forcing me to make a decision. These two people weren't going to pretend to get along for my sake.

"Well, I thought you both did well, but Erin's defenses proved to be a challenge. It seemed she had some advantage in this regard, although you had the stronger monsters, Alexis." I chose my words carefully and gently- it felt as though I was handling a piece of fine china.

"I was up on life points. I had the game well in hand." Alexis remarked.

"Like hell you did! You had no way of damaging me. You're lucky this match ended when it did, Rhodes!" Fiery Erin jumped in.

"No need to argue about it, you'll both have a chance to settle things when we return! Besides, I think it's a great thing you guys are sharpening your skills against each other. That was a sweet match!" Jaden cut in, only for Erin and Alexis to actually look displeased at him. Any additional presence in this conversation was unwelcome.

"Yes, indeed." None of us noticed Crowler barging in, and the sound of his voice so near caused us to jump. "But for now, it is time to leave. Come along now, students."

Behind him stood Professor Drummond, who was reading a book and basically ignoring his surroundings completely. As per usual, he was wearing a sharp blue suit with a silver tie and similarly grey thick-rimmed glasses. I bet all the teachers were mandated to be here, or else he would be reading his book in a more quiet area. I peered over to see that he was reading the history of the Peloponnesian War. Man, he sure knew how to paint the town red, eh?

Taking this opportunity to break off from my friends, I waved my hand to catch Drummond's attention. "Hey, professor, remember me?"

Tearing his eyes away from the page, Drummond's lazy brown eyes widened in recognition. "Ah, mister Lancaster. I see you've made good on your promise to enter Obelisk Blue."

"The beds are just as nice as I expected them to be."

"Hmm. I noticed that you've risen to the top of the freshman class as well. In fact, I believe you're only second in the overall school rankings, behind mister Truesdale. Zane, that is. I must admit, I'm looking forward to having you in my History 103 class next semester. It has nothing to do with card games, of course, but I hope you'll fund the subject suitably fascinating regardless." He dryly responded.

"History is enjoyable, to be sure, but I was wondering if you would take me up on a duel when I return. I've always been curious about your real deck." I ask boldly.

He chuckled softly. "You're no less driven than you were the day of the entrance exam. I suppose this explains your taste in women, at least."

"Jealous?" I ask facetiously, even though I probably shouldn't have been mouthing off to a teacher, but for some reason I really wanted to get this guy's goat.

"Hardly. But I suppose I will indulge you. It's been a while since I've dueled a student with my real deck. Enjoy your break, mister Lancaster, and make sure your cards are strong when you face me." He said, unflappable.

Sighing, I responded with, "You too." I left with my curiosity even more piqued. Rushing down to the pier, I met up with my friends once more, the future legends of Duel Academy. Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, Alexis, Mindy, and Erin were talking about their holiday plans, while Zane and Adam aloofly stood apart from the group, but not that far apart. I still didn't see Bastion and Jasmine- I wondered if they were going to make it onboard in time. Zane watched the others with a quiet smile on his face, while Sugihara grumbled about not getting to collect any of the bets on Alexis and Erin's interrupted duel. Perhaps it was a byproduct of being in a cheesy shonen series, but seeing them warmed my heart truly.

"Well, I guess this goodbye, everyone!" Syrus waved tearfully.

"Chill out, Sy, it's only a month before we reunite, stronger than ever!" Jaden reassured.

"I can't wait." Erin smirked with a challenging smirk at Alexis. The blonde ignored her, seeming solemn at the prospect of returning home. I imagined the holidays were probably a difficult time for her family due to her brother still being missing. My eyes found Professor Banner standing with the rest of the teachers, the cat purring innocuously in his lanky arms, and I remembered why Atticus was missing in the first place.

My eyes blazed with anger. I had no idea if I was making "eye contact" with him due to his eyes always being closed, but I was looking directly at him nonetheless. He ought to enjoy his remaining days as much as he could- the jig was going to be up soon. As soon as the seven keys were distributed, I was going to take him down and get some answers about this whole Abandoned Dorm situation, which remained ambiguous despite my knowledge of canon.

Oh yes, he was going to pay the piper soon…

"So then I said to her, like, oh my god, I can't believe he really said that! Can you believe that, Jamie? Mindy said to me, finishing up a long and complex dramatic story. Apparently she had been talking to me during the entire time I had been thinking about Banner.

"Uh, yeah, can't believe it, Mindy. Hey, everyone make sure to really work on your decks over the break. I think this next semester is going to be much more difficult than this one." I warned, unfortunately dampening the mood slightly.

"You bet!" Jaden said. The ship's horn sounded again, and now we knew it was really time to get on board.

"See you later, everyone! Have a fun break!" Jaden said cheerfully before he, Syrus, and Chumley ran off to get spots on the cruise liner.

"Later, Jamie. I'm going surfing in Hawaii over the break, so I'll send you lots of postcards!" She said, giving me a hug and a peck on the cheek.

As we embraced, she leaned into my ear. Her breath caused goosebumps to erupt on my skin. _"I don't have time to play around with you forever."_ She whispered. I said nothing in response. I understood what she meant by those words, and it was giving me a headache.

Picking up her bag and surfboard, she ran along as well to get a decent spot on the ship. Adam waved goodbye as well, ambling slowly in contrast to the hurried pace of the others. Only Zane, Mindy, Alexis and I remained.

Alexis remained meaningfully silent, and sensing the mood, Zane said, "See you all. I'm looking forward to more matches when we get back. I hope to make my last semester a good one. Why don't you walk with me, Mindy?" He said, less stoically than usual.

Although Mindy surely wanted to hear what Alexis wanted to say, her desire to walk with the great Kaiser outweighed her penchant for gossip and drama. "See ya, Harem King." She said to me jokingly. I only scoffed in response. I can't let these girls run roughshod over me- I had to step up and start taking the reins before more complications sprung up from under me again.

Once they left, I turned to Alexis. "Hey, I know that the holidays probably aren't the most pleasant time of year for you, but if you want to talk, you know where to reach me, alright? And by the way, your new Cyber Angels look strong. I'm sure they'll be useful in the future." I ramble.

"Yeah…hey look, you don't to have to say anything…I just wanted you to know that I'm glad I've met you this semester. I never thought I could meet so many amazing people in my freshman class like this. It helps me forget that Atticus is gone, at least until I'm by myself." She said, melancholic.

 _"He's not gone. He's not dead."_ I wanted to say, because it was the truth. It wouldn't be long before he was back by her side. I couldn't speak because it would reveal too much knowledge too early, but the desire still burned. It took great restraint to remain silent in the face of this sad, fearful girl, even as the solution to her worries hung on the tip of my tongue. Casting my eyes away, I hastily squashed the hard lump in my throat.

"I've never told this to anyone before, but the reason I want to gain power is not purely for love of the game. I've told myself that so many times, wishing for it to be true. But I cannot be motivated by pure excitement and enjoyment like Jaden. After I saw your battle with Jinzo, I realized that I can no longer idly mourn and grieve for Atticus. His killers still lurk in the shadows, and I will not rest until they are brought to justice. That is why I fight." Her voice was heavy with a sense of duty.

Holy shit. What brought this side of her out? Was it just seeing the battle with Jinzo up close? Or was this rage lurking within her this entire time?

"I want to be strong enough to stand alongside you, Jamie. I've been thinking about this for a while, but the way you stood up to that duel spirit was incredible. It's shown me how long I still have to go before I can really call myself a duelist. You've shown me that I can be better than I am." She continued, her eyes softening.

"Is that why you dueled Erin today? Just to test your mettle?" I asked a leading question.

"Partially…" She trailed off.

I leaned in. "I've noticed that you tend to hold back what you're really thinking a lot. It takes you a long time to verbalize your feelings. If you have something to say, then you should say it. Sometimes waiting for the right time causes you to miss the opportunities in front of you." I thought of her failed confession to Jaden in season four. "I have trouble speaking up sometimes too, believe it or not."

She was silent at that, so I prompted her with, "So, what are you thinking about right now? I want you to say what's on your mind at this exact moment." I smirked devilishly as a ruddy blush crept up her face, staining her normally smooth, pale features.

She shook her head. "I-I'm not sure what to say. I just…I don't know."

I shrugged. "That's fine, I'll wait…for a little bit. Perhaps after you finish your duel with Erin you can say what you really think." I really shouldn't be doing this, considering Erin has her eye on me, but something about Alexis was undeniably alluring to me. Whereas Erin was a relatively simple soul, Alexis was mysterious in many ways. I couldn't help myself.

"Ok…" She whispered.

"In case you were curious, I think it's normal for you to want to avenge your brother. And just between you and me, I want to get to the bottom of the whole abandoned dorm incident as well. Something is rotten amongst the staff. One of the teachers in particular isn't who he says he is." Wait, I wasn't supposed to reveal my knowledge! Why can't I control myself around her?!

Her hazel eyes widened in shock and surprise. "What? No way! Who…?" she questioned.

The ship's horn blew for the final time. "This is the last boarding call for the student ferry to Domino City. All Duel Academy students please board one of the two ferries departing at this time." A calm female voice sounded over the PR system.

"You better call me and tell me who you suspect! I'll be really mad if you don't!" Alexis said fiercely.

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it. I'll see you in January, Alexis! Have a good one!" I cheerfully waved her off.

She gazed after me as we each boarded a different ship. I had no idea how the student body was separated, but it seemed we were split half-and-half amongst the two ferries. I bounded up the steel boardwalk with my luggage and hand. From the looks of things, it seemed I was the last student to board this ship.

"Glad you finished chatting up that girl in time to get on board, kid." The sailor serving as a security guard snarked as I entered.

"No offense dude, but I would think a sailor is the last type of person who should be making jokes about seeing girls." I shot right back- I was never one for taking shit from randoms. The sailor grumbled, but let me pass.

The main deck was almost completely full, and I had to wade through a sea of people before I found a familiar face in the form of Bastion. He moved his bag aside, clearly saving a seat for someone. He had taken off his uniform, instead wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and jeans.

"Hey man, was anyone here?" I ask him over the din of people.

"No, I think everyone else was assigned to the other ship. Sadly, Jasmine was as well. I think it's just you and me for this journey." Bastion replied wistfully.

 _"Thank god for that."_ Someone as calm and stable as Bastion would make for a good traveling companion, especially after the day's events.

"It seems your date was cut short, then. You don't sound too happy, did things go poorly?" I asked as I sat down. The lack of space caused me to uncomfortably draw my knees inward.

"No, it went well, but this voyage would have been a marvelous thing to share with her. I think she and I will get along just fine. The only problem is that she didn't understand my math jokes." Bastion said, placing his backpack between his feet.

"Bastion, I told you not to do that shit. You should have been talking to her about sports or something stupid like that!" I reprimand.

"I know, but it's so hard to resist! She didn't even know what Rouche's Theorem was, Jamie!" Bastion complained.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. Ugh, training him in the art of conversation was going to take a while. But in time he would learn, even if it killed me.

"To be fair, I don't exactly have all my ducks in a row when it comes to girls as well. At any rate, you have nearly a month before you'll see her again, so try to think of something good to say in that time."

Bastion nodded, accepting this new homework assignment with the same readiness he would have with regards to calculus or history. "I'll try to improve." He said.

"We'll all have to improve if we want to survive." I said darkly. When Bastion gave me a quizzical look, I added sloppily, "The school year, I mean! It looks like next semester is gonna have some tough classes in it. Yeah, that's definitely what I meant."

"Oh, ok." Bastion said, relieved, before he returned to his book. I looked out the window, filled with dread at the future events to come. The time to be strong has begun.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. Definitely my favorite chapter title so far.**

 **Since it seems the duel was inconclusive, I must ask again which of the two Obelisk girls you think would win if they had continued. I'm trying to toe the line between silly and serious, the way real life relationships so often do. Jamie has a choice to make in the near future, but luckily he has a bit of time to consider it. However, his mind is first and foremost focused on how best to address the problem of the Shadow Riders. We will see what he has planned next chapter.**

 **It would seem that Alexis does have some feelings towards Jamie, although she is of course characterized by self-restraint when it comes to romance. She couldn't ever summon the courage to confess to Jaden in canon, and she's having trouble giving voice to her feelings here- she does not think what her heart wants is important. However, crossing swords with someone as impetuous and forward as Erin is a bit of a wakeup call. The rivalry over Jamie is not spoken aloud, but both Erin and Alexis understand it nonetheless. I hope this chapter did a good job at highlighting the differences between the two characters.**

 **Oh by the way, after seeing some other authors do this, I have decided to put some 8tracks style character mixes in my profile. I would post them on 8tracks, but that site has been pretty much done for a while now. Instead, what I will do is post a new character mix in my profile every time I update a chapter from this point forward. What do you guys think of this idea? I figured this would be a good way of supplementing the characters' depth without being intrusive. Btw if anyone wants to talk shit about my music taste, see me in the streets. JK kind of.**

 **Next chapter will begin the Shadow Rider/Seven Star arc.**


	14. Aku Soku Zan

Chapter 14: Aku Soku Zan

The break passed in painfully long periods of time, only to accelerate in the final days as the dread of what awaited me when I returned to Duel Academy set in. It seemed like a trance, as though I was a visitor in someone else's dream. From a certain point of view, I supposed I was. The only difference was that I never woke up and returned to my own life.

The holidays were absolutely painful. As soon as I got home, I frantically looked through the family yearbooks and photo albums, trying to learn as much as I could about these people – my family. It was like studying for a big exam, matching faces to names. And yet, there was urgency in this endeavor that studying for an exam lacked- with one wrong word, I really would be carted off to the asylum, or worse, revealed for the imposter I actually was.

The guilt I felt on Christmas Day when my distant relatives came to visit was indescribable.

"Jamie, remember when we went hiking and you got scared of that rattlesnake? Good times!"

I nodded and gave a nervous chuckle

"You used to love this show when you were a kid, don't you remember Jamie?"

I nodded and gave a nervous chuckle.

"It's so good to see you again, Jamie! You've grown so tall!"

It was too much to bear. They didn't know there was an imposter in their midst, and the love shared amongst the Lancaster family was completely lost to me. A second life didn't seem like such a precious gift now, when I sat amongst strangers called mother and father. I coasted through dinners and gift openings, acting as a grotesque parody of Jamie Lancaster. I wanted to love these people, but this was impossible. I was not a son, a cousin, a nephew. I didn't even feel like a real human being- rather, I was a ghost in a human's body.

At Duel Academy, I was a real person. The bonds I forged there were my own, my status in Obelisk Blue forged with my own two hands. Exchanging text messages and emails with my friends made me realize that these people were family, the family I chose.

I was beyond glad when the day came to return to the island, even as I acknowledged the darkness that was coming. The Shadow Riders would soon descend on the island. I imagined I would be a key keeper, due to my high standing in the student body. If things went right, then none of the keys would be taken. Since the seven keys would never be put together, the Sacred Beasts would not be unearthed from the island, meaning that protecting them from Yubel and Adrian should be easier. Hopefully without the Sacred Beasts to grant him immortality, Kagemaru would die and save us a headache. In the meantime, I needed to do everything I could to undermine his position as the superintendent of central academy.

 _"Just put one foot in front of the other."_ I thought numbly as I said goodbye to mother and father again. God, even calling them by those empty titles left the taste of ashes on my tongue. This had been the worst three weeks I had experienced in recent memory, as angsty as that sounded.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"So, how was your break?" Bastion asked as we both took our seats. We had just arrived at our first class of the semester, World History 103 with Vector Drummond.

"Fine. How about yours?" I said neutrally as I pulled out a notebook form my backpack. It felt good to be back in my Obelisk Blue uniform. My hair had grown slightly longer, but it was hardly noticeable. Unlike Adam, I tended to avoid any fancy hairstyles, preferring to keep my brown locks short, messy, and textured. Bastion, on the other hand, seemed to gel his hair- he had to get it to point straight back like that.

"It was fantastic! I caught up on some light philosophy and pure math reading. My family and I visited plenty of museums as well! It was truly invigorating." He gushed. "But really, I'm just excited to get back to school."

"You and me both, brother." I respond in kind.

Shooting a wry glance, Bastion asked, "Oh really? You suddenly find academia interesting? You barely even made it to any classes by the end of last semester."

"We both have our reasons." I said cryptically. He didn't need to know why. He would never need to know why. The bell rung and signaled the beginning of instruction.

Vector Drummond stood at the bottom of the lecture bowl, his notes messily strewn about his desk. I had a feeling that although he looked unorganized, there was probably a method to his madness, so to speak. After class, I planned to approach him about our duel.

"Alright class, welcome to World History 103, my name is Vector Drummond, and I'll be your instructor for this course. In here, we shall be taking a break from tedious card games and focusing on some real academic discipline…namely the study of humanity's history itself." He started off, sounding rather bored as he usually did. Interestingly, it seemed he didn't like dueling all that much, at least as a class subject.

"Now then, I'd like to start off with-" Suddenly, the professor found himself cut off by an announcement from the loudspeaker near the ceiling.

"Ahem, is this thing on? Yes, hello everyone! This is Headmaster Sheppard here! I hope the semester is off to a great start!" A chortling voice rang out form the speaker.

"It WAS off to a fine start until you literally interrupted me in the first five minutes, you bloody oaf." I heard Drummond mutter, his British accent slipping ever so slightly.

"Anyways, I would like Jaden Yuki, Zane Truesdale, Jamie Lancaster, Bastion Misawa, Alexis Rhodes, Erin Reid, Professor Crowler, and Professor Banner to report to my office immediately. All other classes are to proceed normally. Thank you!" With that, the speaker cut out.

So, it was time at last. The call to adventure has come for the heroes, and myself. Wait a minute, I'm pretty sure Sheppard just listed off eight names. Something is up. I suppose it was only fitting that I take Chazz's position in canon, but why would he call eight people to guard seven keys?

Bastion looked at me with an arched eyebrow, and the confusion on my face genuinely matched his, albeit for different reasons. Something was goofy here. Come to think of it, why didn't he just contact us outside of class instead of interrupting all classes and outright cancelling Crowler and Banner's periods?

"Our sincerest apologies, Professor Drummond. I assure you, this summons is wholly unexpected." Bastion covered for us both.

"It's fine." Drummond sighed tiredly, and I felt like this really wasn't fine, but he was too worn down to protest. I feel that, brother. "Just grab a syllabus on your way out. I know no one actually reads the damn things, but it's the principle that counts."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Bastion and I trekked up the stairs from the first to Sheppard's office, silent the whole way. We had a fair distance to go to reach the office, having to go up two flights of stairs and across a hallway before getting to Sheppard's study. Because of this, Bastion and I were the last to arrive.

Despite it being mid-morning, the lights were on in the office. Storms were heading our way, and thick grey clouds already darkened the sky. How dramatically appropriate. Inside, we saw Sheppard sitting at his desk, staring out of the window upon the campus. The chosen duelists stood awkwardly, making small talk about what they did over the vacation.

Upon hearing the door open, Sheppard turned around in his office chair. "Ah, so everyone is here. In that case, we may begin." He said ominously.

"How's it going, you guys?" Jaden waved cheerfully, and the rest of the group greeted us accordingly. Funnily enough, Jaden was eating out of a bento box as he spoke, shrimp crumbs flying out of his mouth as he spoke. However, at Sheppard's grim countenance, none of us exchanged pleasantries for very long, as we wanted to get to the bottom of this business.

"There's no point in mincing words, so I'll get right to it. What I ask of you all today is not an easy thing- I ask you defend your people and this island from a great evil." Sheppard said, looking older than he was.

"A great evil? Just what is this about?" Erin asked.

"They go by many names- the _Shichisei_ , the Seven Stars, the Shadow Riders. They are seven rogue duelists who I have been informed will be attacking this island soon. They are after the three Sacred Beast cards."

"What are these cards? And why are these Shadow Riders are going after them?" Zane questioned.

"The Sacred Beasts are monster cards of incredible power, strong enough to even rival the Egyptian Gods themselves. They were sealed beneath this island before the school was built because their power was destructive enough to destroy islands, and much more. They were too dangerous to be kept around." Sheppard explained heavily.

The more he spoke, the more questions arose in my head. What gave the Sacred Beasts their inherent power? Were they connected to an ancient religion like the Egyptian Gods? Were they discovered on the island, or somewhere else? I take it they were discovered by Kaiba- did he find them on accident, or were they a part of some experiment to recreate the Egyptian Gods? That would explain why they looked so similar, at least, at I wouldn't put it past Kaiba to try and remake the gods in his own design. Then, perhaps Pegasus had a hand in this, since he was alive in this timeline. Apparently Bakura didn't feel the need to kill the man after stealing his eye. Kind of dumb, but whatever. Perhaps I would ask Kaiba or Pegasus about this if I had the opportunity. It would soon be time for Bastion and I to apply for our internships at KaibaCorp, after all. It would be great to work together and get some money, but we had to secure our immediate survival first.

Of course, for all the hyperbole surrounding them, the Sacred Beasts were practically unplayable as cards. They had no synergy with each other, and all three of them had difficult summoning conditions in exchange for relatively lackluster effects and no destruction immunity. I considered taking them for myself, but it really wasn't worth it. Of course, if they really had the power to destroy everything just by existing like Sheppard said, their actual playability was irrelevant. There's no way I could let these Shadow Riders have their what they wanted.

Again, I looked upon Banner with ill-disguised contempt. Soon, very soon, he would be the first of these villains to fall. Tonight, I would strike. Seeing that placid smile on his face was nearly unbearable, but somehow I held back from challenging to a match this very instant. Hey, the aggressive approach has its flaws, but when it comes to getting shit done, there's nothing better.

"I have direct orders from Seto Kaiba to protect this school to the best of my ability, and in doing so, I would ask that you protect the academy with equal fervor. I have no idea why the Shadow Riders want the Sacred Beasts, but we cannot let them have what they desire!" Sheppard said, impassioned. Reaching underneath his desk, he withdrew a small black box.

"In order to undo the seals that keep the Sacred Beasts locked away, one requires these seven keys. However, simply using the keys are not enough. They must be infused with duel energy in order to break the ancient spirit gates. I would ask each of you to protect a key. You all are the strongest duelists this academy has to offer- none are better suited for the job. But be warned- these keys will make you guaranteed targets for the Shadow Riders. In accepting this responsibility, your lives will certainly be endangered. To lose against these dark duelists is a death sentence." Sheppard continued.

"Again, I do not ask this of you lightly. If any of you wish to back out, please speak at this time." Sheppard opened the box, revealing the keys inside. Beige in color, they were hewn from sanded wood and inscribed with black runes. No one spoke up- everyone was prepared to undertake this task.

"If there are only seven keys, why did you call eight of us here? If my calculations are correct, eight is more than seven." Bastion took the words right out of my mouth.

"Yes, well, I called eight of you in case someone wished to refuse the call. But seeing as you all wish to participate, you've forced my hand, so to speak. I selected Professors Banner and Crowler for this task because of their extensive accreditation and experience, but I chose you students based on a variety of criteria. Grades, duel records, and personalities were taken into account, and it was no easy decision. Based on these factors, I believe the current five strongest duelists at the academy are respectively Zane Truesdale, Jamie Lancaster, Jaden Yuki, Alexis Rhodes, and Bastion Misawa."

A moment passed before Erin registered the ramifications of this statement. "What? How dare you! I want to help as well! There's no way I'm gonna be content with playing second string!" She yelled, her dark blues alight with indignation. Oh, brother. Erin was too obstinate to take this as anything but a slight.

"I apologize, Miss Reid, but the choice has been made. It was a difficult decision, but sixth rank amongst the student body is nothing to be ashamed of. Please understand." Sheppard said calmly.

"If you really want to know who the best is, you should let me and Rhodes duel for the key!" Oh great, now she was using this as a way of getting back at Alexis. Not exactly a barrel of laughs. For her part, Alexis looked coolly dismissive of the whole thing.

"Miss Reid, enough of this boorish behavior!" Crowler, always concerned about image, reprimanded.

"There will be no dueling. If a duel is conducted now, the keys may unlock the gates. This is my final decision, Miss Reid." Sheppard shook his head wearily.

There a harsh, loud pause, in which I couldn't move a muscle. "Then our business here is finished." Erin said haughtily before turning around and slamming the door, leaving the rest of us in stunned silence.

"Uh…so do we just grab the keys, or…?" Jaden attempted to break the ice.

"I think so. Look, I should probably head after her. I apologize, Headmaster." I quickly grabbed a key and ran out. I took a last look at Banner. There might be a chance for Erin to get a key yet, if we can take him out.

I always knew Erin was an intense person, but I had no idea she would react so strongly to something like this. Then again, I wasn't stupid. " _She wants an opportunity to fight alongside me as well…she must think that Alexis is her love rival or something…god damn it, I'm not a harem protagonist!"_ I repeated the mantra to myself.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

I lost track of her after I left the main academy building. _"She always was a lot faster than me."_ I thought fondly, remembering the mornings we would spend together running, or should I say she forced me to go running with her. I sucked terribly at it in the beginning, but her relentless drive kept me going, kept me from giving up. It was good to have someone in my life to push me like that. In light of my horrible winter break, I was more grateful than ever to have people like Erin in my life. They were all I had.

It was this gratitude that spurred me on after her. She had to understand that these keys were not a gift granted to the strongest- they are burdens that carry grave responsibility with them. Hell, when I thought of Camula's Phantom Gate, or Nightshroud's dragons, or Tania's abs, I wasn't exactly jumping for joy that I was chosen. Those were all serious threats!

She should be able to enjoy her life without worrying about the evils that lurk in the dark corners of this universe. It was bad enough that my other friends' lives were in danger now.

I lost track of her, and eventually stopped running. Catching my breath, it didn't take me long to guess where she might have run off to. Turning my eyes to the shore, I picked up the pace once more.

Sure enough, I saw her, a dark silhouette amongst the bright blue waters. Her black surfboard sliced through the waves, her footwork and positioning flawless. Her discarded Obelisk Blue uniform laid in the sand, leaving her in only in a black and purple striped wetsuit.

I waited on the beach for her, content to watch for a little bit. After about fifteen minutes, she finally rode back inland, leaping off her board before laying it down in the sand in one swift motion. Like the sky above us, her eyes were stormy.

"Hey." I said lamely.

"Should have figured you would come after me." Erin sighed. "I'm sorry about what happened back there. I was being immature."

"Yeah..." I replied succinctly. I mean, it's true.

"I just wanted to stand beside you guys…to receive some sort of validation for my efforts. All my life I've worked towards my goals, but when it comes to people like you and Zane…and Alexis…I feel like I can't keep up." She confided.

I found that for once I had little to say- I only hoped that my few words could communicate what I felt.

"You're strong enough. Besides, there's so much more to this life than power…love and laughter and music. We all must find something to push us on, something to protect, because pride alone is insufficient. All the power in the world cannot compare to what's really important. I know that sounds cheesy, but…"

Chazz was so wrong when he said that strength is the only thing that matters in this world. I used to think the same way, believe it or not. But as cheesy as it sounds, real strength comes from having something to fight for. The will is distinct from the desire- stronger too.

My philosophical musings were cut short, however, by the feelings of lips pressed against mine. I sank into the moment, but she pulled away before I could really kiss back. "I didn't think you had it in you to be this romantic…it seems like you're always full of surprises. It's maddening! But I still want strength to fight alongside you."

As we embraced, I knew that I was in deep. "You're in luck, then. After tonight, there might be an extra spirit key in need of an owner." I said audaciously. I was risking my position greatly at the moment, but I needed Banner dealt with. Besides, I already thought of an excuse in case anyone looked into how I acquired this knowledge.

She froze, my words having a much more ominous meaning than I intended. "That intuition of mine has struck again. I've found out that Professor Banner isn't exactly a friend of our cause. In fact, it's quite the opposite. He is one of the Shadow Riders."

She separated from me. "No way…how is this possible? How do you know about this?"

"I overheard him speaking with the academy superintendent, Kagemaru. They spoke of ascertaining the location of the spirit keys to get the Sacred Beasts. He might not be a Shadow Rider per se, but he's definitely at least a sympathizer. I won't let him do what he wants. Tonight, we're taking him down." I explain heavily. This was going to be a very delicate operation- if things go wrong, they'll go _really_ wrong. At the same time, Banner was the strongest of the Shadow Riders. Once he's defeated, the rest should fall soon enough. But one thing's for sure- the time for being idle is over. We're going to strike hard and fast, and wipe them all out.

"Are you absolutely sure?" She whispered, despite us being quite alone.

"I'm damn sure. There's no room for error here. I'm gonna contact the rest of the key keepers and we'll formulate an official strategy. We're gonna meet at the Ra Yellow dorm at seven o' clock tonight sharp. The longer we wait, the more time Banner has to escape or scheme. He's a difficult one to pin down- we probably can't win in a battle of wits and cunning. But that doesn't matter- we have the perfect opportunity to take him down right here, right now!" I said intensely.

There was silence for what seemed like a long time, until finally she replied. "I haven't had reason to doubt you before…you better not give me a reason now!"

"So you're in, then?" I asked.

Her anger was somewhat mitigated by the fact that she was nervously playing with her hair, brown tresses curling between her fingers. The cat was pretty much out of the bag now- she had to be thinking about why I knew this, and how I came across my knowledge. I hoped that she would at least not vocalize her suspicions, but no such luck.

"Hmm…fine. But if you are right about this, you're going to tell me the source of your knowledge." She said, glaring at me.

I froze again. No. I couldn't do that, Erin. I could never do that. You would never believe me, and things might actually be worse if you did. But for now, we had a job to do. This little issue would be resolved after Banner was taken down.

"I appreciate your help. I promise that this is no trick….all our lives are at stake now." I replied cryptically.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

After that, I went to the rest of my classes, which were mainly rundowns of course expectations and syllabus distribution. I didn't remember a single word that came out of any teacher's mouth- my focus was wholly devoted on the delicate task before me.

I individually texted all of the key keepers with the exceptions of Crowler and obviously Banner. As I did not have Crowler's phone number, I simply approached him after class to deliver my message.

"Excuse me, professor, may I have a quick word?" I said as Crowler quickly packed up his various lesson tools.

Although Crowler initially looked annoyed, once he remembered that I was a key keeper, his features became neutral. "Ah, yes. Perhaps in my office, Signore Jamie?"

"That would be wise." I nodded and we both silently walked out of the lecture bowl. Going up a flight of stairs, it was a short trek to Crowler's study. He set his disparate folders, textbooks, and worksheets on his polished oak desk before taking a seat behind it. "I take it you wish to speak of the impending conflicts with the Shadow Riders." Crowler said soberly, not bothering with any preamble.

"Right in one, Professor. If you have any time, I would like to gather all of us key keepers tonight to discuss a strategy going forward. Due to our separate academic obligations today, we couldn't do so earlier. There are many questions I'd like to field to our little band, and I believe your presence would be invaluable in this regard." I spoke formally in his presence.

Pursing his lips, Crowler held his chin in one finely manicured hand. "Hmm…have you already asked the others?" He questioned.

"Yes. All of the other key keepers know." I lied. "You are the last one I've talked to, mainly because I don't have your phone number."

"Ah, I see. What about Professor Banner?" Crowler asked, seemingly innocuously.

"I had Jaden talk to him earlier. He knows." I lie again. "I was hoping we would all meet at the Slifer Red dorms at ten tonight."

"Why so late? And furthermore, why such an unsightly location?" The professor asked imperiously.

I nearly ticked in annoyance. His vanity was very irritating at times. "I thought that it would be a discreet location where we stand at relatively little risk of being overheard. The last thing we need are ordinary students asking questions, and for better or worse, any talk by a Slifer Red will be dismissed easily compared to an account from a Ra or Obelisk. The lateness of the hour will also keep things under wraps, for the most part."

The real reason why we were going to meet at the Slifer dorm is because that's where Banner was already going to be. If he was inside the building and unaware of my plans, then the other key keepers should be able to surround him and cut off any avenues of escape. Of course, this is contingent on them believing my words. From there, either myself, Jaden, or Zane would duel and defeat him. We'd take the key, watch him crumble, and that would be the end of one Shadow Rider. No muss, no fuss. I know I'm supposed to have some sympathy for Banner as he was depicted in the show, but it wasn't so easy when your own life was at risk. Frankly, as much as it'd be nice for Banner to have immortality, I'd rather my friends and I not die. Call me selfish, but that's where I am right now. Besides, something tells me Banner wouldn't be wringing his hands over killing the lot of us if it meant accomplishing his ends.

After a while, Crowler nodded. "Tonight, then. We Obelisks should meet by the lake and depart as a group, in case a Shadow Rider ambushes us." Crowler suggested.

Hey, that's actually pretty smart. "Sounds like a plan. I'll inform the others. Thank you, professor. This should be a productive meeting."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

I was useless the rest of the day- I stayed in my room, thinking myself into a frenzy. During times like these, I was really glad I wasn't born into a series that required a lot of complex planning and scheming. I probably would've got killed within a week in a Game of Thrones or Naruto self-insert- what a story that would be!

And yet, even as I worried, I had to laugh. We were going to play a children's card game that will decide the fate of the universe. It was just ridiculous when viewed through the lens of a screen or a manga, but as someone living in this world, there was a distinctly macabre humor to it all. Hail to the great heroes of Yu-Gi-Oh! They play card games really well!

When the clock struck 9:30, I practically skipped down to the lakefront. I waited there for a few minutes, pacing by the water, until finally Zane, Alexis, Erin and Crowler showed up.

"Let's go." Zane said without preamble, and so we departed. The mood was serious- we scarcely spoke on the way to the Slifer Red dorm. Soon enough, we made it to the shed. The ground was dappled in silver moonlight from the full moon. I was never one for astrology or any of that bullshit- just wait until next season- but there seemed something significant about the round moon fixed over our heads. Dark clouds encircled the moon, steadily closing in and darkening the night over time. Before long, it would begin to storm.

By the sea, we saw Jaden, Bastion, and…Banner. Go figure. I took a haggard breath of frustration as we approached. Well, there go all of the complex plans.

"Hi everyone." I said drolly. "Thank you all for meeting here. What we discuss here tonight could save all of our lives going forward. And I see you all brought your duel disks as well. Perfect…"

"Hey, no problem!" Jaden waved goofily. "I brought Professor Banner. I guess your text to him didn't go through or something, because he said he wasn't invited."

I groaned- Jaden was too naïve for his own good sometimes.

"Ah, it's quite alright." Banner said in self-effacing fashion. "I'm sure it was an honest mistake. It's probably hard to imagine me dueling alongside all of you!" He added with a nervous chuckle. Did he know?

"It's not hard to imagine at all." I said coolly. Well, here we go! "And your exclusion was completely intentional. But since you're here now, we might as well get this over with."

"What?!" Everyone exclaimed in confusion.

"The game is up. I understand the truth now. Reveal yourself, Amnael." I pointed directly at Banner, and the ever-present smile finally drooped from his face. The mood darkened as everyone gazed upon both Banner and myself suspiciously.

"The truth, you say…" Banner said calmly. "What would you know of the word? Explain the rationale behind this accusation."

"Cut the crap! You know exactly what I'm talking about!" I bellowed. "If you won't admit it, then give me your key and leave this island, never to return! I won't allow any risks!"

"Jamie, what on Earth are you talking about? Surely you must have some reason for making these claims." Zane asked, alarmed.

"He desires the spirit keys. I don't know why." I lied. "I overheard him speaking with someone, and old man by the sound of it, about obtaining the keys to obtain immortality. I don't know if he's a Shadow Rider, I just want an explanation for that before we continue." I said. It disturbed me how smoothly the lies spewed from my mouth- I felt unclean. But this was necessary, I told myself, a minor evil necessary to defeat a great one. This story was the most plausible one I could have thought of.

"I heard him referred to by the name Amnael, so he isn't who he says he is." The riskiest part of this was that I had to hope that Banner actually had a conversation with Kagemaru similar to this. Luckily for me, the surprise that flit across Banner's face was proof enough that I was on the right track.

"How did you know of this?" Banner asked, still very much calm.

"I overheard it when I was going on an evening run. I passed by your study and I overheard talk of immortality and the Sacred Beasts. I had no idea what it meant at the time, but with the news Sheppard told us today, the pieces are starting to fit together." I said. This seemed a palatable explanation to my friends, because now their glares were mostly off of me and affixed firmly towards Banner.

"You didn't step forward before? A curious choice." Banner replied, as thought we were simply engaging in a classroom debate.

"Like I said, I didn't know what any of it meant at the time, and I was willing to trust you at the time. Things have changed." I thundered.

"So they have." Banner summarized. "Your intuition is notable, Jamie. It makes me wonder just what the extent of your knowledge really is…" Chills ran through me when he said that. Were my own lies about to be exposed?

"Sounds to me that he was in the right place at the right time. Don't try to distract us." Zane cut in coolly. Wew, thanks for covering my ass, bro! If I was lucky, I might get out of this with a semblance of normalcy. This situation was a cold reminder; I wasn't just a normal kid like those around me, and I never would be. Still, to live publically as this oddity of nature, a dimension-hopper, would be unbearable, All of my bonds would wither away if my knowledge was revealed. A wise man once said that people should try to tell the truth, because the alternative is much worse; I had a feeling I was going to see just what that alternative is.

"Astute as always, mister Truesdale. The future is in good hands with students such as these- wouldn't you agree, doctor Crowler?" Banner opened one startling red eye, and we all felt paralyzed.

"Lyman…what is the meaning of this? Have you been lying this entire time?" Crowler said, hurt and disappointment plain in his voice. With another chill, I realized that such reactions would no doubt be the same if I revealed my secrets.

"No…not all. It is my fondness for you all that compels me to tell the truth now. You all remember that although I am a chemistry teacher primarily, I have always had a fascination with alchemy, and that is why I often infuse elements of alchemy into my lessons." Banner began to explain.

"You got in such trouble with the school board when they found out about that. I remember they said that alchemy wasn't a real science. I don't think I had ever seen you so passionate before." Crowler said, seemingly recalling a fond memory.

"They couldn't have been more wrong." Banner said, remembering that day as well. "The reason I am alive today, if only barely, is because of alchemy. It is more real than most anything else. It is the truth of this world."

"What do you mean?" Erin asked, dumbstruck. In the face of this rapidly upended reality, simple questions like these only revealed how far the central academy students were out of their depth. Hell, I knew about all this beforehand and it still felt surreal.

"All matter in the universe is neither created nor destroyed- it is converted through different mediums into different forms, different substances. There is only one exception to this otherwise axiomatic rule. The soul is created as an individual grows and learns, and it can live on past the decay of the physical body. But the physical body is the medium through which the soul exercises its will- without a body, the soul is scattered, and eventually destroyed completely." Banner said cryptically.

"What…? This doesn't make any sense!" Bastion exclaimed.

"I'm sure it is difficult to fathom for a purely scientific mind like yours, mister Misawa. Alchemy is beyond the scope of normal science- it is an art that makes the impossible possible. When I was a young man, I was interested in the fields that we now consider part and parcel of modern science- biology, archaeology, and astrophysics. But as you can clearly see, I did not become a normal scientist." Banner paused, seeming reflective for a moment, before pressing on.

"But then I began to notice patterns, as any true scientist does. My quest for knowledge led me to the seemingly innocuous game of Duel Monsters. I saw how easily Maximillion Pegasus predicted the moves of his opponents when he dueled. I saw the Egyptian God cards come to life during the Battle City tournament, and I saw the dark powers wielded by the holders of the Millennium Items. Then, I knew that there was much more to this world than I ever could have imagined."

"What did you mean when you said that Alchemy saved your life?" Alexis asked.

"During my travels, I began to contract a terminal illness beyond the powers of modern medicine to cure. I myself am still unsure whether it was my dabbling in the dark arts that caused this disease or whether it was of purely natural causes. Either way, I was going to die. Since the modern world failed me, I put my faith in the ancient art of alchemy…and I was rewarded. In time, I crafted a homunculus, an artificial body to house my soul." Banner exposited.

"But the artificial body has its limits…that must be why you were talking about immortality." I concluded, adhering to my cover story.

"Precisely. I had already owed much to the man who had secretly funded my research projects…I agreed to give him the Sacred Beasts using any means at my disposal. I apologize for this…but there is no other way but to dive into darkness if I am to live." Banner said, and his ruefulness seemed somewhat genuine.

He feared death greatly, that much was certain. I had a unique perspective on the matter, considering I had actually died before. My sense of self-preservation was certainly as acute as ever even as my second life continued. But the fact still remained that we were all putting our lives on the line for this. And if the Sacred Beasts truly were released, than untold innocents would die as well. Banner's desire could not be abided. _"He has to die."_ I decided with a heavy heart. What fun it is, to be reborn in an anime about children's card games! I didn't want to do this; Banner was alone in his suffering and looking for a way out of it. Sadly, his way out of it went straight through us, and to step aside meekly would cost us our lives.

"Professor…I'm sorry, but we cannot allow this. Our lives and the lives of many others are at stake. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." Zane said firmly, quoting Spock as he did so.

"It is not with joy in my heart that I demand this, but please, give up the key and leave this island. Live out the rest of your days in peace." I said soberly. I knew of Banner's backstory before, but hearing him say it had a powerful effect on me- like heavy stones, it smothered and quelled the fires of my rage.

"Peace? There is no peace. Out there-" Banner pointed upwards at the cloudy night sky. "-forces beyond our comprehension wage war. On this planet alone, evil festers everywhere one looks. The secrets of the universe must be discovered, or else my entire life's pursuit's will go to waste. No, this is the path I have chosen, and if I must defeat you all to achieve immortality, then so be it." He said with grim determination.

"So let it be done." I said, outwardly cool and unemotional, as I activated my duel disk. The key keepers all stepped back instinctively. "Let's do this, right now."

"You?" Banner said incredulously, and the noise he made was a cross between a laugh and a wheeze. "No. I have no desire to duel you, at least not yet. You are a man of bold words and bolder actions- in truth, if anyone would discover my secrets, it's little surprise that it would be you. You are relentless when you put your mind to something, Jamie Lancaster. But you are a common man, driven by worldly pursuits and successes. You are too shortsighted to be a worthy foe for me. I am more interested in someone with deeper powers…" Banner dismissed me at hand.

My pride wanted to scream at him for his ignorant scorn. But at the same time, it was good that he did not suspect that I wasn't really a common man at all. Well, perhaps I was, and it was merely my circumstances that were unusual. Either way, he didn't know about my secrets, and for that I was relieved.

"Jaden…you are the one who has captured my interest."

Everyone's eyes swiveled onto Jaden. The Slifer, dumbfounded, pointed at himself. "Who, me?"

"Yes, you." Banner's tone brooked no argument. "From the beginning, I have sensed that you had the potential to be a greater threat than all of the others. Despite your carefree ways, you have captured my interest. I wish to see the depths of your talents."

"What? I'm not so great…I lost to Chazz during the school duel, after all! Why me?" Jaden was baffled. He certainly didn't feel like a great threat to anyone- in fact, Jaden didn't feel as though he even fully deserved his spirit key right now. One way or another, it seemed his worthiness was about to be to the test.

"Even you are unaware of the power that sleeps within you…it appears that in order to make you understand, I must draw that power out by force!" Banner activated his duel disk. The formerly meek professor was gone; this man's movements were forceful and swift, his expression challenging.

I stood back; it seemed that Banner was hell-bent on facing Jaden. Normally, I would've been fine with this, as Jaden did beat him in canon. However, Jaden also beat Chazz in canon- that knowledge was not necessarily congruent with my current circumstances. There's no telling what would happen now. I should take care of this myself.

I took a step forward and opened my mouth, but I was interrupted by an unlikely source. "There's no way I'm letting you put any of my students at risk!"

Crowler had stepped in front of Jaden, his rather cumbersome personal duel disk at the ready. "Hey, what are you doing, teach?" Jaden questioned, legitimately confused as to why Crowler was taking a risk for his sake. As far as everyone knew, Crowler hated Jaden.

"There's no way I can stand by and allow my students to endanger their lives, especially when it is another teacher than means to do them harm! Children shouldn't have to concern themselves with these things- I'll handle this Shadow Rider! Prepare for battle, Lyman!" Crowler pointed a finely manicured index finger at Banner, who looked distinctly unamused.

"An honorable gesture, doctor. But I'm afraid I must insist on facing Jaden. There's little time for anything else." Banner voice was deadly cool and sibilant.

"You'll have to make time then! This is not negotiable!" Crowler declared. The other key keepers seemed to look upon him with newfound respect for his determination. Banner's strength was not quantifiable by any means, and yet Crowler protected his student anyway, and a student he rather despised at that. Part of me wished to let Crowler prove his bravery, but nothing could be left to chance. I adjusted my deck to take down Banner's- I felt I had the best shot at a victory. I placed my hand in the back of my jeans pocket, where the Melodious deck sat in a black box. Now was the time to use them.

And again, I was interrupted. The confrontation was halted rather unexpectedly by the sound of a tower of flame bursting from the ground. Ok, what the frig is this?! Shadows danced along the ground and we found ourselves bathed in orange light. The heat from the flame was staggering- unusually so. This was no ordinary fire.

"Well, well, this is unexpected. Looks like your perfect disguise was foiled, Amnael. I'm just glad you sent out the backup signal when you did." A smug voice sounded from inside the fire. In the air, a large rune made form hard light appeared, taking the shape of a dot surrounded by a not quite completed larger circle.

A silhouette of a man stood against the backdrop of the raging inferno. "These schoolchildren must be harder to put down than they appear." He snapped his fingers and instantly the fire disappeared, as though he had flipped a light switch. Nary an ash remained to mark its presence; the grass remained unburned. Slowly, the Mark of Amnael flickered and faded.

It took my eyes a moment to adjust to the sudden return of the darkness, but soon enough I saw that yet another foe had seemingly dropped out of thin air. That bastard Banner used some magic to get reinforcements! Ra damn it!

Banner's expression was not relieved, per se- but he was calmer. "Ah, Nightshroud. Good of you to show up when you did. Putting down the key keepers should go much faster now. Is anyone else with you?"

"I'm all that's needed. We shall end this war in one fell stroke." Nightshroud replied. He was dressed in all black coat, trousers, and boots, with the exception of a singular red stripe running down the side of his jacket. A small, masquerade ball-style mask obscured his eyes and nose. Dark brown hair ran down his shoulders, stopping in the gap between his shoulder blades.

"Well, this is fucking bad." I said dumbly, my composure nowhere to be found.

"No way, two shadow riders!" Erin yelled. Everyone activated their duel disks simultaneously, the machines emitted a low whine as they turned on. Nightshroud turned to us, a smirk on his lips.

"Jaden is mine. You may take your pick of the others." Banner directed.

"Hmph! Very well then, looks like it's my lucky day. I get my pick of the litter…for the most part, anyways." Through the mask, his eyes judged us all. Before he could make his choice, I stepped forward once more, trying to get things under control.

"I'll take you on!" I shouted, loading my deck into the duel disk.

"Ah, Jamie Lancaster. You have a reputation for being a bit of loud mouth- as well as having a certain stubborn streak. Looks like that reputation is well-earned. As much as I would enjoy putting you in your place first, my master told me to put Alexis Rhodes and Jaden Yuki on high priority. Since Jaden is taken…well, it doesn't take a genius to figure out who I wanna fight." He snickered wickedly.

All eyes were now on Alexis, who was frozen in shock. "Wha…why do you look like…." She began, but suddenly, a translucent blue sphere of hard light encased her body, and we could no longer hear her words. Nightshroud extended his palm, forming the sphere seemingly without effort on his part.

"Ah ah ah…there's no need for words now. Some things should remain unsaid. When I'm finished here, none of you will speak again!" Nightshroud cackled, throwing his head back in laughter.

I don't know if it was the way this situation spiraled out of control so easily, or the way he so casually threatened Alexis, but an irrepressible rage fired up within me. Furiously, I charged towards Nightshroud. "You little shit! You better let her go right now or you're dead!"

"Jamie, calm down!" Zane's words rung dully in my head, and I paid him no heed as I reared a fist back. Forgoing the silly cards, I let my right hook fly. I didn't even care that I would be harming Atticus' body- all I wanted was to pound this guy into the pavement.

Effortlessly, Nightshroud caught the punch, his fingers clamping over my knuckles. "Well, well, I didn't think you had that kinda rage in ya…just for that, I'm gonna give you a front row seat as I pick apart blondie over there. Then, you'll get the chance to avenge her! Sound like a deal?" The unbearably smarmy Shadow Rider taunted.

Immediately, I threw a punch with my left hand, but before I could reach him, I found myself suspended in a light blue bubble, exactly like Alexis was. I yelled and screamed, but the bubble was clearly soundproof judging by the lack of noise emanating from the outside world. Through the haze, I saw Banner nodding approvingly at Nightshroud.

Zane, Erin, Bastion, and Jaden banged their fists on the outside of the bubble in an attempt to free us, but to no avail. Alexis and I were utterly at the mercy of this dark figure. Our eyes met, and I expected to find fear, abject terror, in her hazel irises.

Instead, I saw only confusion, as though this was some sort of bizarre dream. Did she recognize her brother? Yeah, I bet Nightshroud is trying to take advantage of the fact that he's inhabiting Atticus' body in order to throw her off her game! I had to stop this somehow!

Before I could think of a plan, Alexis and I were whisked away by some sort of unearthly power, beyond the reach of our friends. As we shot high into the sky, I ruefully realized that Jaden and the others were on their own against Banner. I could only hope that this time, Jaden could pull out the win. Crowler seemed intent on stepping forward to protect his students- an admirable gesture, but who knows if he would be strong enough to handle Banner's mysterious deck.

We approached the volcano where Nightshroud and Jaden had their duel- how very dramatic. It didn't matter if I fell here, but if Alexis died here and I didn't do everything in my power to save her…let's not finish that thought. I had my Melodious Diva deck in my back pocket- now was the time to finally use them, damned be the consequences. I just hoped I would have the opportunity before Alexis' life was endangered.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Vellian Crowler POV

"You…one of your men just kidnapped two of my precious Obelisks…" Crowler hissed dangerously.

"So it would appear." Banner said blandly. The wind whistled through the field, causing the grass to blow in waves. "It's rather a load off of my back, to be honest."

"You dishonor the title of Professor with your behavior, and I won't stand for it any longer!" Crowler loaded his deck into his duel disk. "My students, please stand back!"

"Are you sure, Teach? You don't have to do this!" Jaden protested. "If he wants to fight me, then I say let him! I don't wanna risk any of your lives!"

"I know you're not very good at listening in my class, but I've told you why I must do this! Now stand back!" Crowler repeated boldly.

Jaden moved to reply, but Zane put a hand on his shoulder. "Jaden… let Crowler do this. It's a matter of pride."

"Besides, it's not the end if Crowler falls- Banner's gonna have to deal with all of us if he wants his precious immortality so badly. I'm not a key keeper, but I'll do what it takes to protect this island." Erin added, crossing her arms. Bastion stood silently, hoping to take any calculations he possibly could from this match just in case.

Banner fixed Crowler with a seemingly gentle smile. "I do not relish relying on force, but I will do whatever in necessary to live on." Activating his duel disk, he opened his eyes again, the blood red irises no less frightening than before. Crowler gulped, but did not back down.

"Duel!" Banner and Crowler shouted simultaneously.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

I could barely contain my fear as we dove into the center of the volcano, the bright magma sizzling at the bottom of the basin. It blinded me with its brightness, and even within my spherical prison I could feel the heat coming in waves.

Before we were to hit the lava and die, a platform made of that mysterious hard light halted our descent. We slowed to a stop and settled onto the platform. The light emanating from the floor was harsh and blinding. Combined with the orange glow of the lava, this place was like a bad nightclub mixed with an interrogation chamber.

Alexis was released from her bubble, landing rather ungracefully on her heinie. I was not so lucky (or unlucky, depending on your perspective). I remained trapped within the sphere, unable to communicate with her and yet somehow now able to hear everything happening on the outside. I banged my fists on the bubble some more, but eventually my rage subsided and was replaced with a sick feeling of helplessness.

"Jamie!" Alexis ran towards me, our hands separated only by the thin, yet impenetrable surface of the sphere. I tried to speak, just to see if she could hear me, but she shook her head sadly.

"I'll find some way to get you out, I promise!" She said, trying to hide her fear.

"Poor choice of words, blondie." Nightshroud appeared in a column of black energy. With a swift thrust of his hand, I shot out beyond the area of the platform and hovered over the lava. From the fiery drink, dragons comprised of hot magma surged over and under the platform, roaring at Alexis and I.

"Still want me to let him out?" He taunted viciously. Alexis glared daggers at him, but refused to engage in verbal combat. "Don't worry, I can't just drop him the lava, as much as I'd like to. I still need his key, and for that, I have to duel him after I'm finished with you. I think I'll keep him in the sphere, though. His loud mouth was getting tiresome. In the interests of time, we might as well get started." Nightshroud activated his duel disk, but Alexis did not do the same.

"You're not him…Atticus would never do something like this! Tell me what you've done with my brother, monster!" She cried, finally having the chance to learn something about her beloved brother's whereabouts.

He chuckled sinisterly. "You call me monster? I'm afraid I'm too overqualified for such a paltry title. Anyways, you should not worry about such things as your bonds. They will only lead you astray…and cause further suffering."

"What the hell are you talking about!? Answer my question, Nightshroud!" Alexis yelled back tearfully.

"Your brother's body is my host, and his mind has been completely sublimated by my will." Nightshroud held up his half of the shadow charm, the red orb in the center glowing brightly. "His identity has been nullified, and thus he is at peace. Is that what you wanted to hear, Alexis Rhodes? That he rests?" He questioned calmly.

"So he's still in there, somewhere…maybe if I win this duel, I send you back to whatever hell you crawled out of and get my brother back!" She declared with uncharacteristically raw emotion. She started up her duel disk as well.

'There is not a force in the universe that can truly kill me, least of all the will of one duelist. I can snuff out that will like a candle!" Nightshroud intoned, holding up two blank Duel Monsters cards. "Once I am done here, both of your souls will be trapped within these cards for all time!"

I shivered- we were looking upon the final antagonist of the series, the spiritual incarnation of Darkness as a concept. I hoped that Alexis could prevail as Jaden did in canon, but I was starting to doubt my own capabilities when confronted with this timeless entity.

"Duel!" Alexis and Nightshroud shouted, signaling the beginning of their fateful match.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **A more dramatic/angsty chapter this time, wanted to depict the shadow riders as more serious villains here. It seems Jamie's outing of Banner worked, but the situation has rapidly spiraled out of control, with duels on two fronts with Banner and Nightshroud. Best believe that Jamie will pull out the Melodious Divas at the first opportunity.**

 **Hope you all found this unveiling of Banner's motives plausible. He is an intelligent guy, but being called out like this was completely unexpected and sudden. However, this also has a double effect of casting Jamie in a suspicious light as well- some of his fellow students don't completely buy the explanations he gives.**

 **I considered including more material about Jamie's winter break, but in the end I decided to dive right into this arc. Not a lot of holiday fuzzies coming from Jamie, but I think that standing amongst a group of strangers and having to pretend that they're family while also affecting a false personality would be a deeply uncomfortable experience. The fact that he's deceiving them practically by existing probably doesn't help. I hope you all can understand where I'm coming from. I imagine avoiding this issue is part of why most SI's reincarnate at birth, rather than the personality takeover that has happened here. IDK, I actually haven't read that many SI's. If anyone has any recs, feel free to let me know.**

 **Anyways, I do plan to include some more character interaction with Jamie's "family" over the summer between seasons. My plan is to include some more worldbuilding stuff over these interims while dealing with the business of the plot during the school years, although assuredly the plot will resemble canon less and less over time.**

 **By the way, I saw that if one filters the archive by follows, we're on the front page! I think that's amazing considering we've only been around for about four months. I don't like to fret too much about internet points, but the support of you all is bolstering and inspiring! Thank you!**

 **Next chapter will show the duel between Crowler and Banner. Place your bets!**


	15. Chrysopoeia

Chapter 15: Chrysopoeia

Vellian Crowler POV

The head of Obelisk Blue couldn't believe he was staring down a former colleague- a friend- down on the dueling field as an enemy. What other secrets lurked in the shadows? Could he even trust Sheppard, let alone the rest of the staff? Crowler couldn't be sure- all he knew is that he would protect his students to the best of his ability, even the Slifer Slackers he so often derided.

And now, even as he stepped forth in Jaden's stead, he was helpless to prevent two of his precious Obelisks from being captured by that mysterious masked man. He, as well as the other key keepers, could only hope that Jamie and Alexis could defeat the second shadow rider.

"Shit! We have to go after them, you guys!" Jaden growled, his anger peaking at the idea of his friends being in danger. He made to run off, but Erin held him back.

"They're too fast…look, we know that the shadow riders need duel energy. If anyone can win, it's those two. I don't like Rhodes, but she's a damn good duelist, and Jamie tied with the Kaiser himself!" Erin, normally hot-blooded, managed to look at the situation with a cooler perspective.

"There's nothing we can do for them right now. For the moment, we must stand behind Professor Crowler!" Bastion implored. Zane stayed silent, but it was clear that his impotence to rescue Alexis and Jamie was wearing on him as well.

For now, they had to focus on the battle before them. Slowly, Jaden calmed down, flecks of gold swimming in his dark brown eyes. Erin let go of him, a sad look on her face. Slowly, they each looked to the two professors, hoping that Crowler could manage to win. They were in a strange position, before, Banner was their kindly professor, and Crowler was an overly strict, narcissistic disciplinarian. And yet, the roles of punisher and protector had been wholly reversed.

Banner started off the duel, that catlike smile still present on his otherwise serene face.

"Let us begin. I set two cards face-down and a monster." Banner said with hurried pace. Of course, it wasn't as if he had all the time in the world...Crowler felt confident that even if he couldn't win, he could at least run out the limited time that his traitorous comrade had left. It was a dark thought, but in a way it was comforting that Banner had such a large handicap against him.

 _"But I will win, so there is no need to think of such things."_ Crowler thought as begun his turn. "I'll begin by activating the continuous spell **Ancient Gear Castle**! As long as this is on the field, all Ancient Gear monsters gain 300 attack points. Furthermore, a counter is added every time I normal summon or set a monster, such as my **Ancient Gear Knight (2100/500 with boost)** for example!"

First, a grey castle styled in a hybrid of medieval and steampunk aesthetics emerged from the ground behind Crowler, partitioning him from the other students. Afterwards, a bipedal robot with rusted armor forged in the vein of a Roman centurion walked out of the castle gate, wielding a large, blunt lance and a gear frame shield.

"A Gemini monster, huh? Wonder why Crowler's using one of those?" Erin questioned.

"Normally Gemini monsters are pretty bad, but the knight has decent stats for a level four, and the boost from the continuous spell makes it as strong as a Cyber Dragon." Zane commented.

"Charge, my knight!" Crowler commanded, and the knight rushed forward with lance extended.

"These machines of yours only scratch the surface of what science is capable of- you meddle with forces far beyond your comprehension, doctor! I activate my face-down card, **Macro Cosmos**!" Banner called.

The knight halted in its tracks, and everyone but Banner felt their bodies thrown off-balance at some sudden, unforeseeable shift. The clouds disappeared, and the night sky seemed all too clear. The ground beneath them vanished, and everyone suddenly found themselves floating in the depths of outer space.

The students were utterly mystified at their surroundings. Zane held his hand to his chest, and was shocked to find his lungs still were taking in air somehow. Despite the gravity (pardon the pun) of the situation, Erin found herself swimming through space in the same way she would water, a small grin on her face. Jaden stared at a nearby star, his eyes undamaged despite the intensity of the light. Bastion geeked out completely, his eyes taking in the sight of a nearby nebula greedily.

"What is this, some kind of illusion?" Crowler asked Banner, his words traveling as sound despite the lack of air. Clearly, this area did not abide by the normal laws of outer space.

"That is a more complicated question than you might think…perhaps this is an illusion, but perhaps this is reality, and the knowledge you previously accepted as true is actually the illusion." Banner replied cryptically, his smile widening.

"Ugh, forget I asked." Crowler had little patience for riddles during the best of times, let alone in the middle of a duel.

"In that case, I will tell you this. As long as this continuous trap card is on the field, all of our cards are banished instead of going to the graveyard. Furthermore, when this card resolves, I can summon **Helios – The Primordial Sun (?/?)** from the deck in defense mode!"

A female humanoid form materialized out of nowhere, made of clean white bandages. In place of a head, it had a miniature sun, a bright orange orb. "This monster gains 100 attack and defense points for each banished monster, meaning it has zero of both at the moment."

"Very well then, I will continue my attack!" Crowler replied, and the knight's charge went through and destroyed Banner's Helios. The shadow rider seemed unbothered by this, however.

"I'll set one card face-down and end my turn!" Crowler finished.

"Very well. I'll begin my next turn by activating the field spell **Chaos Zone**!" Banner called. All around them, white swirling portals appeared from nowhere, hanging eerily in the void of space. The students stared at them, transfixed.

"Every time a monster is banished, a chaos counter is placed on this field spell. When I have four or more counters, I can remove them to special summon a banished monster with a level equivalent to the amount of counters I removed." Banner explained the card's complicated effect.

"This card game is a load of bollocks!" Bastion protested.

"Next, I summon **Banisher of the Light (100/2000)** in attack mode!" A priestly figure in yellow and blue robe appeared, a soft ball of white light emanating from his fingertips.

"Did he mean to summon that thing in attack mode?" Jaden questioned.

"Sadly, I don't think Banner does anything by accident." Zane replied grimly. Crowler nodded, knowing that a greater strategy was at play.

"I activate **Creature Swap**! This spell card switches control of our two monsters, meaning I get your Ancient Gear Knight and you get my Banisher!" Banner said as the two monsters switched places. "Now, I attack!"

"Activate reverse card, **Sakuretsu Armor**! This destroys the Ancient Gear Knight, leaving my life points safe!" Crowler responded as the old machine exploded, putting one chaos counter on the field spell.

"Now I can at least use this thing as tribute fodder…" Crowler thought, looking at the seemingly useless Banisher on his field.

"I end my turn." Banner said with a deferential nod. He had no monsters but seemed unconcerned, so Crowler thought he must have had a face-down. Luckily his Ancient Gear monsters didn't care about face-downs, not one bit.

"My draw! I summon **Ancient Gear Soldier (1600/1300 after boost)**!" Another rusted war machine styled after the appearance of a Roman Centurion took the field, a machine gun affixed to its right arm. "Next, I'll switch Banisher of the Light to defense mode."

"Now, I'll launch a direct attack!" The Ancient Gear Soldier fired off a full clip at Banner, who hissed in pain as the bullets struck him. Of course, they did not do the same amount of damage as a real machine gun would, but they hurt nonetheless. Banner fell to one knee, his breath hitched. **(Crowler 4000/Banner 2400)**

"You have yet to impress me, Lyman. I would think a teacher would be able to defend against such an attack." Crowler drawled.

"Yeah, he has another face-down, why didn't he activate it?" Jaden asked in confusion.

"The Soldier prevents the opponent from activating spells or traps in response to an attack. It's an effect common to most of the Ancient Gear monsters, actually. If Banner runs a lot of backrow, then this may actually be a favorable matchup for Crowler." Bastion answered, of course.

"Which is good for us." Erin added.

Banner was silent, but the catlike smile on his face finally dropped- he recognized that Crowler was an adversary to take seriously. "It seems this will be more difficult than I thought…my draw! I set two cards face-down before activating **Card of Sanctity**." Despite how good it was, Card of Sanctity was not hit on the January banlist, remaining at three for the rest of this format. Crowler smiled slightly- he remembered Jamie complaining incessantly after finding that Pot of Greed and Graceful Charity were banned, but not Card of Sanctity, despite the fact that Card of Sanctity often was a better draw card. He often pointed out that the player using it could easily just set the spells and traps in their hand and then drop Sanctity for a possible plus five. Sometimes Crowler wondered just where the kid developed such a critical eye, but now was not the time to ponder such things.

"Now, I'll play one of the two spells I just set face-down. I activate **Reinforcement of the Army** , letting me add a level four or lower warrior from deck to hand." Banner revealed the card to be Lightray Grepher.

"Now, I'll discard one level five or higher light monster from my hand to special summon my **Lightray Grepher** **(1700/1600)**!" The rogue professor banished Soul of Purity and Light from his hand to call forth his new monster. A large, muscled warrior in light blue garb appeared, wielding a two-handed broadsword. In the process, a second counter was added to the Chaos Zone.

"And with my normal summon, I'll play **Cyber Valley (0/0)**." A mechanical serpent covered from head to tail in steel blue plate slithered onto the field.

"Hey, that looks like a Cyber Dragon!" Erin pointed out.

"There's a good reason for that…Cyber Valley is one of the cards belonging to the Cyber Style. I own three copies of the card myself, although I usually only play one in my deck. I'm curious why Banner would use it…and why he has it." Zane said with furrowed brow.

"This guy's deck is very mysterious...it seems to be based around banishing cards, but there doesn't seem to be a unifying archetype. I can't tell if it's a bad deck or if there's some kind of strategy here." Jaden scratched his head.

"Jamie's deck doesn't have an archetype either, and we know that he's no pushover. Banner is a professor, so he surely has some plan. I only wonder if Crowler knows what he's getting into." Bastion said with concern. To no one's reassurance, however, it seemed Crowler was just as confused as they were.

"Now that you mention it, Banner's deck kinda reminds me of Jamie's. They're both very mysterious as well…" Erin said, her thoughts fuzzy. Banner seemed to be a kind man before, a smile ever-present on his face. Aloof and friendly in equal measure, there was an odd quality about him no one could quite place. And now that the mask was seemingly off, Banner was proven to be a calculating and ruthless figure in his own right.

"Jamie was the one who revealed Banner's true nature to us…but I can tell that he has more than a few secrets as well…" She thought. And yet, she had no idea what the Lion of Obelisk could possibly be hiding. Was it just paranoia that drove these suspicions? Or was it something deeper? Jamie had never shared a single thing about his personal life to her…beneath the wit and arrogance, he was unfathomable. It is said that the truth is often either terrible or boring...Erin could not be sure which moniker would apply to Jamie's case.

Erin needed to figure out how she felt about him in order to move forward.…but first they had to survive this battle. Despite her personal distaste for doctor Crowler, she cheered loudly for his success in this fight. Banner had already proven that he could not be trusted.

"Next, I'll attack the Ancient Gear Soldier with Lightray Grepher!" Banner called. Grepher's sword began to glow with yellow light as it swung down at Crowler's monster. The strike successfully went through, Crowler choosing not activating any of his face-downs. The Ancient Gear Soldier was smelted down by the white-hot blade, and a third counter was placed on the field spell. **(Crowler 3900/Banner 2400)**

Crowler winced, feeling the fiery embrace of the blade despite not being physically touched. "What? That actually hurt! This really is a shadow game…" The professor thought with mounting trepidation.

"With that, I end my turn." Banner finished. Crowler drew, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he was falling for a ploy. Everything seemed to be going fine now, but the thought of a trap suddenly and irrevocably turning the tide still gave him pause. Banner had three monsters on the field, one of them set face-down. but Crowler knew he had more powerful fighters lurking in his deck still. The head of Obelisk Blue couldn't help but feel as though he was out of his depth.

"I sacrifice Banisher of the Light to tribute summon **Ancient Gear Beast (2300/2000 after boost)**." A mechanical hound pounced onto the field, its fangs sharpened, yet rusty bars of iron.

"I'll attack your set monster!" The beast coiled back, the sounds of whining gears echoing through space. Then, it rushed forward, taking out Banner's set monster with a nasty crunch of its maw. Briefly, the creature was seen to have a red turban with a royal blue cape.

"Your **Crystal Seer's (100/100)** flip effect is negated by the effect of my Ancient Gear Beast, Lyman! You won't be able to defend against me forever!" Crowler challenged.

"You understand little, Vellian, so very little." Was all Banner responded with. A fourth counter was added to Chaos Zone. Crowler ticked, but ended his turn nonetheless. He would need to summon more monsters soon, or else he would never be able to get through to Banner's life points.

"I'll begin my next turn by playing **Foolish Burial**. Normally, this spell sends a card to my graveyard, but due to Macro Cosmos, that card is banished instead." Foolish Burial was not yet limited- players were still allowed to have three copies in their deck, which would surely be beneficial to Banner and players like him.

"The card I banished happened to be **Necroface (1200/1800)** , funnily enough. When this monster card is banished, we each must banish the top five cards from our decks!" Banner smirked, peeling off his top five cards and smoothly pocketing them.

Crowler grimaced as he looked upon his newly banished cards. He was forced to pitch an Ancient Gear Golem and a Mirror Force, among other useful resources.

"I was hoping to get use my Cyber Valley's effect, but I suppose you're too clever to attack into it, Vellian. Instead, I do believe it's time to go on the offensive, if you don't mind." Banner said with impeccable politeness. "I sacrifice my Cyber Valley to tribute summon **Golden Homunculus (1500/1500)**."

The metallic eel vanished, dispersing into stardust, and leaving only its silver plating behind. The silver quickly transformed into gold, as though a lens filter was placed upon it. From nowhere, more and more gold coalesced into the shape of a giant, humanoid golem.

"One of the fundamental aims of alchemy is the transmutation of base metals into noble, purer elements. Gold was often the end goal of this transformation; humanity has always been fascinated with gold for one reason or another. But mere gold has never been the summit for true alchemists, we aspire to something greater." Banner exposited.

"The philosopher's stone…" Bastion finished, causing all heads to turn towards him.

"That is what I seek. The legendary substance capable of producing the elixir of life. Once I have the Sacred Beast cards, I will use their power to craft this substance for own use." Banner replied.

"It is not your goals I take issue with, but your methods. You cannot have your way, Lyman!" Crowler fiercely retorted.

"I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand. Those monsters of yours are comprised of naught but lead and iron…how dull. It's time to put you to rest for good! My Golden Homunculus gains 300 attack and defense points for each one of my banished cards, and I have twelve! My monster now sits at 5100 points!" Golden heat coiled off of the homunculus in waves, its eyes glowing crimson.

"Okay, that's a bit of a problem. Crowler's definitely got no way of beating that thing in battle." Zane said, his teeth grit.

"Let's hope he pulls a Jamie and flips over Magic Cylinder on him!" Jaden nervously laughed.

"Yeah, you can say that again." Zane responded.

"Let's hope he pulls a Jamie and flips over Magic Cylinder on him!" Jaden repeated with the exact same vocal tone and inflection. He tried to hold a straight face, but soon enough he succumbed to the giggles.

Erin laughed uncontrollably, Bastion facepalmed and Zane shook his head. "I can't believe you can joke around at a time like this…" The Kaiser grumbled.

"Crowler can pull through, he's got a face-down which Banner has no choice but to trigger. I know how strong Crowler is, I faced him at the entrance exams!" Jaden exclaimed, a beacon of optimism even as things looked dark. Despite himself, Zane chuckled.

"That seems like forever ago…"

"It does, and we've got a long road ahead. This is not the end, not for us." Bastion said with clenched fists. Crowler looked upon his students with pride- he couldn't find it in himself to be irritated at Jaden's goofiness.

"Your hypothesis will be tested soon, Misawa! Golden Homunculus, attack the Ancient Gear Beast now!" The golden statue punched forward, unerring in its trajectory and strength.

"I activate **Negate Attack**!" Crowler revealed his reverse card, causing the battle phase to end. The giant's fist was diverted just before it found its mark by a ripple in the fabric of spacetime.

"Very well. Before I end my turn, I shall activate the effect of Chaos Zone. By removing four counters from it, I can special summon a level four monster from the banished zone. I choose **Helios – The Primordial Sun (1100/1100)**." The bandaged idol emerged from one of the pearly portals in space, kneeling before Banner.

"But it will not remain for long. I sacrifice The Primordial Sun to special summon **Helios Duo Megistus**!" The idol shrunk in stature, now taking the shape of a plump child rather than a slim adult. Besides the head-like sun atop its body, a smaller star orbited.

"What a bizarre creature…" Bastion murmured.

"This monster gains 200 attack and defense for each of my banished cards **(2200/2200).** With one more face-down, I end my turn." Banner said with a deferential wave.

"I wonder why he didn't summon that before he began his battle phase. He probably was afraid of my trap card. At least now, I have a target I can do some damage to." Crowler thought, banking on his next draw

Banner did not seem concerned- Ancient Gears did not have many ways of beating out monsters with high attack points. Usually, they didn't have to worry about being beaten in battle and could attack through any backrow. Not this time, however.

Crowler, on the other hand, was beginning to look distinctly unnerved, knowing that he had few ways of getting past the Golden Homunculus. This next move could decide everything.

"Perfect." Crowler muttered.

"Oh, here we go." Zane said with a growing smile.

"I'll begin by activating **Terraforming** , allowing me to add a field spell from my deck to my hand! Now, I'll activate the field spell I just got! **Geartown**!"

"Nice! Now Banner's Chaos Zone is destroyed!" Erin said with a fist pump During this time period, two field spells could not exist on the field at the same time. The activation of a second field spell would always destroy the first. This ruling would be changed a few years down the road in Jamie Lancaster's timeline, but obviously no one present had knowledge of this.

The white portals disappeared, to be replaced with a city made of gears and pre-industrial metals. The buildings rose around the duelists and spectators, but the spacial environment still remained; stars and nebulae hung above the structures.

"As long as this field spell is live, I can normal summon Ancient Gear monsters with one less tribute." Crowler explained

"I'm aware. But that isn't the real reason why you've done this, is it? However, I gain something from this as well. When Chaos Zone leaves the field, I can add a Light or Dark monster to my hand from my deck with a level equal to or less the number of counters that were on the field spell. I had two, so I can add a level two or lower Light or Dark monster to my hand." Banner explained the field spell's convoluted effect succinctly.

"I'll add the level one Battle Fader to my hand." Banner revealed with sly smirk. Crowler frowned, knowing that card would be an annoyance in the future. Still, he had no choice but to continue his move.

"I'm beginning to tire of your banishing tactics! It's time to show why I am the one with the P.H.D in dueling, while you only graduated from Duel Monsters Community College!" Crowler barbed.

"Look, money was tight at the time, ok? I was planning to go back to the school eventually!" Banner replied, finally rattled by one of Crowler's comments.

"I doubt that! Either way, there will be no chance of that now! First, I will activate the secondary effect of Ancient Gear Castle! Since it has more than one counter on it, I can use it as a tribute for the summon of an Ancient Gear monster!" The castle disappeared, its parts being used to build something else.

"Here comes the big gun! I summon **Ancient Gear Golem (3000/3000)** in attack mode!" The legendary giant took the field with a lumber, looking right in home in the main square of Geartown. Banner looked upon the golem with a look of amusement. For all its power, it was still dwarfed in size by the Golden Homunculus.

"Impressive, but he'll need more than that to take down the Golden Homunculus." Bastion observed, his penchant for stating the obvious shining through.

"He's got two cards left in hand. Golem and Beast on the field…what can he do?" Jaden wondered.

"Now, I play **Mystical Space Typhoon** to destroy Macro Cosmos! Now, our cards will once again go to the graveyard! Your monsters won't gain any more attack points, either!"

"Smart." Banner conceded as the outer space environment faded away. Once again, they were on the island, although their surroundings were obscured by the Geartown field spell.

"And finally, it's time for that Golden Homunculus to be melted down! I equip my Beast with **Ancient Gear Fist**! Now, when Ancient Gear Beast attacks it, your Golden Homunculus will be destroyed after damage calculation!" A rocket-powered fist was attached to the mechanical dog's back, ready to fire.

"Shoot, Crowler's gonna take a lot of damage from this." Erin said with a wince.

"He has no choice, that Golden Homunculus will steamroll him next turn unless he does something now." Zane said, grudgingly accepting this strategy.

"Ancient Gear Beast, attack Golden Homunculus now!" Crowler went through with the move despite the immense pain it would surely cause him. He wouldn't be out of the duel, but he would be damned close. Crowler was betting everything on this move, and hoped that Banner didn't have a backup strategy.

The four-legged machine leapt at the gilded giant, only to be swatted away by its fist. However, the rocket punch was released right before the Ancient Gear Beast was destroyed. With a whine, it flew into the Golden Homunculus and blew it up completely, sending chunks of precious metal clattering across the ground. The explosion blew Crowler onto his back, the wind knocked out of him. Saliva and blood flew from his mouth as he skidded across the grass. Banner shielded his face from the blast, soot blackening his formerly white shirt. Miraculously, however, his glasses somehow remained intact. **(Crowler 800/Banner 2400)**

"Professor!" The students rushed to Crowler's aid, only to find themselves repelled by a telekinetic force. They were flung backwards, landing in various states of disarray.

Jaden looked up to find Banner's hands outstretched. "Please, do not come any closer, children. This duel of darkness is solely between myself and Professor Crowler. If you come any closer…" His crimson eyes flashed maliciously. "Something _bad_ might happen."

"You bastard!" Gold shone in Jaden's brown eyes. "I can't believe I let this happen! I should have been the one to duel!"

"Calm down!" Zane commanded fiercely. He pointed to their professor's prone frame. "Crowler's not out of this yet."

Slowly, but surely, Crowler began to rise. Unsteadily, he stood with wobbling knees. "Don't worry about me, Jaden."

Jaden paused- that was the first time that Crowler had ever called him by his name, rather than by some disparaging moniker like "Slacker" or "Dropout".

"This is all part of the plan! Ancient Gear Golem, attack Helios with ultimate pound!" The golem nodded slowly before landing a devastating uppercut on Banner's strange creature, shattering it into pixels. **(Crowler 800/Banner 1600)**

An afterimage of the fist passed through Banner's body, and blood slowly dipped from the corner of his mouth as he gasped in pain.

"Crowler's got this! Banner has no way to protect his life points from another attack like that!" Jaden said optimistically.

"Not quite. That wasn't the last we've seen of Helios Duo Megistus, now that he's in the graveyard." Bastion added dourly.

"Wait, if his deck is focused around banishing his own cards, why would his monster have a graveyard effect?" Erin asked, scratching her temple.

"Who knows? Kind of sounds like bad card design. I guess Banner's gonna make it work though." Zane huffed.

"I end my turn." Crowler said with heavy breath, hoping that Banner didn't have anything up his sleeve.

"When Helios Duo Megistus is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, I can special summon it during the end phase. It then gains 300 attack and defense points **(2500/2500)**." The sun model returned, burning ever the brighter despite Crowler's efforts.

Crowler grimaced. _"I can still win. As long as he doesn't draw anything, I can summon another monster next turn and finish him off. His monster is not strong enough to defeat my golem, even if I destroy it one more time. He can't put it in defense either because I have piercing. I just need to last this turn and get a good draw."_

"Well professor, it seems grading papers and sitting in that office all day hasn't made you lose your edge. You are a rather troublesome opponent. But I haven't the time to waste with you anymore. Draw." Banner declared, and as soon as he drew his next card, he raised it into the air.

"I sacrifice Helios Duo Megistus to evolve it into its final form. Come forth, **Helios Trice Megistus (?/?)**!"

The bandaged creature split apart eerily, now resembling three distinct infantile bodies with small suns for heads. "This monster gains 300 attack and defense points for each banished card I have, putting it at 3300!"

The students were shocked that Banner's boss monster had another form strong enough to take out the Ancient Gear Golem, and that Crowler would most likely lose now. What would happen to him? Furthermore, what would happen to them? They looked between each other, unsure of who would step forward next.

Crowler's teeth chattered, knowing that the fight was lost now. This attack wouldn't finish him, but with one card in his hand, he doubted he would be able to mount a comeback now. But no matter how much he wished to cower and flee, he would remain stoic for the sake of the students. Teachers were supposed to set an example for their students, even if they could not protect them ultimately.

"Helios Trice Megistus, attack Ancient Gear Golem now!" Between the three sun idols, a beam of blazing orange energy coalesced for a brief period before firing with a searing intensity. It struck the golem in the chest, the iron melting down rapidly. Before long, the laser wore through the mechanical man and struck Crowler with a hiss **. (Crowler 500/Banner 1600)**

 **"** Tch! Is that all you got? I thought you shadow riders were supposed to be tough!" Crowler wiped blood from the side of his mouth, the shadow game exposing to him to whole new levels of pain. And yet, Crowler remained defiant.

"As a matter of fact, it isn't all I've got. I activate my trap card, **Return From the Different Dimension**! At the cost of half my life points, this lets me summon as many of my banished monsters to the field as possible! They are normally banished at the end of the turn, but that isn't something either of us need to worry about, is it?" As Banner spoke, a deep violet portal opened behind him, solar winds spewing from its maw. **(Crowler 500/Banner 800)**

From the portal leapt four monsters. Two warriors, one male and one female, were the first to rise. Both blond of hair, the male hoisted an impossible large cleaver while the woman held a short sword imbued with blinding white energy.

"First, I'll summon **D.D Assailant (1700/1600)** and **D.D Warrior Lady (1500/1600),** both of which were banished by Necroface's effect earlier. Speaking of which…" Next to Banner materialized the horrible rotting babyface, its visage especially horrifying now.

"Finally, I'll bring back Golden Homunculus! It only has 1800 attack now, but that is much more than is needed." The glittering golden giant looked eager to enact vengeance upon Crowler for its part.

"This is the end, Vellian. Please understand that I wish it had not come to this. From one teacher to another, I hold you in the highest of esteem." Banner said softly as the portal closed.

"I've nothing more to say to you but this; you will regret betraying these students. I may have failed, but these boys and girls will shine far brighter than either of us." Crowler said stonily as he gazed right into Banner's scarlet eyes.

"Perhaps. But then, perhaps not." Was Banner's cold response. "Golden Homunculus, end this now."

The giant let loose one final punch that sent Crowler reeling to the ground, unconscious. **(Crowler 0/Banner 800)**

The key around Crowler's neck began to glow a harsh yellow light. By itself, the pendant floated in the air for a moment before materializing in Banner's hands.

The students rushed over to Crowler, both inspired by his bravery and frightened for his life. Before any of them could reach him, however, Crowler's body was enveloped by an imprisonment sphere, similar to the ones Nightshroud used on Jamie and Alexis earlier that night.

Jaden glared over, his eyes narrowing in anger. "Let him go, Banner! You got the key, isn't that enough?"

Banner shook his head with infuriating lethargy. "In a shadow game, the loser's life is forfeit to the whims of the winner, as per the ancient laws."

"You would really kill one of your own colleagues?" Zane asked in dawning disgust.

"It matters not whether he lives or dies. Now that his key is ours, he no longer poses a threat to the shadow rider's interests. To that end, I will give you this one chance to save him. If you can defeat me, then Crowler will be freed. Each of you will have your chance in time, but I should like to see your power, Jaden Yuki." The stress of the duel had caused a vein to throb in Banner's forehead, and it seemed that his hair was slowly turning shades from black to a faded grey over time.

Only rage could be seen in Jaden's eyes as he activated his duel disk. "You want me? You got me!" He growled.

"Hold on, Jaden. I can handle him. There's no point in rising to his bait!" Zane protested.

"No. I was chosen to guard these keys for a reason. All I ask is that you believe in me, Zane. I'm not the same kid I was at the beginning of the year. You, Jamie, Chazz….all of you have shown me that I still have a long way to go. But I won't let anyone else sacrifice themselves for my sake!" Jaden said firmly, looking over at Crowler's unconscious frame.

"I'll prove it…that I can be a hero!" The Slifer declared.

Erin and Bastion looked at Jaden's resolve and found that they believed in him. He may have lost against Chazz in the school duel, but they knew that there was something special about Jaden, something that others did not possess. They hoped that quality could turn the tide against Banner.

Zane crossed his arms. "Jaden…I saw something in you that day when you challenged me. But since you lost to Chazz, I haven't been so sure. Show me what's really inside you!" He said with rare passion.

Jaden gave him a boyish grin, but there was the conviction of a man in his words. "I will." Was all he said. "Come on, Banner!"

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. This chapter took a bit longer than I hoped, but you how it is with Christmas and stuff. Hoping to get the next chapter out a little quicker. Btw a belated MERI KURISMASU to you all! I hope you enjoyed yourselves and spent time with your loved ones. God bless!**

 **This duel was actually quite challenging to write, as I had to keep track of how many cards were banished the whole time. Hopefully I didn't make any major mistakes. I decided to give Banner a more generic banishing deck. His canon cards (the Alchemy Beasts and such) are really bad, bad enough that I couldn't have him plausibly win against an actually decent archetype like Ancient Gears. I think the cards I gave him still fit his personality though, and of course we have not seen the last of his deck just yet. Oh yeah, and btw I have placed the first three character fanmixes in my profile for Jamie, Jaden, and Alexis respectively. As time goes on I'll add more!**

 **Banner winning against Crowler was probably not the biggest of shockers, considering Banner is touted as the most powerful Shadow Rider and all. I hope the duel illustrated Crowler's skill, though. He was able to put up a good fight. He is sort of a comic relief antagonist most of the time, but Crowler ultimately did earn his position as head of Obelisk. I still think his match with Jaden in season 4 is one of the best duels in the series. He'll have more duels in the future for sure.**

 **Next chapter, we will see the duel between Alexis and Nightshroud.**


	16. Brother, my Brother

Chapter 16: Brother, my Brother

As Alexis was about to do battle with the demon inhabiting her brother's body, I felt foolish and powerless. It was my own recklessness that caused this to happen, my misuse of my future knowledge. Hindsight made me see it clearly; there were much better ways of handling the Banner situation. What I did was stupid. The stress of the situation caused me to lose my cool and I ended up getting captured for it. I could only hope that I would last long enough to learn from this. I couldn't allow my shortcomings to endanger my friends like this. Never again.

I drew a card from my deck, my real deck. It was the fusion monster Bloom Diva The Melodious Choir. This card alone would blow out nearly everything the duelists of this time had to fight with, and it wasn't even that hard to summon. This Melodious Diva deck, as silly as some of the monsters looked, was strong enough to stand unopposed compared to other decks of this era.

I hoped that Alexis would be able to defeat Nightshroud, but part of me yearned to unleash this deck's power on an enemy all the same. As I thought of the other Shadow Riders, I decided that taking out either Camula or Titan would be my next objective, both being the strongest remaining Shadow Riders. I would need to handle things differently, that's for sure. But first, I had to get out this mess. As I watched the duel proceed from within my prison, I thought of how best to approach the shadow riders moving forward.

"I will begin. I set a monster and one more card face-down." Nightshroud said succinctly, starting off with the ol' T-set.

Alexis shook herself out of her reverie. I imagine dueling this distorted mirror version of her brother, a man who had undoubtedly taught her much about the game, was troubling to say the least. But to her credit, she seemed to understand that despite his appearance, this was not Atticus. This creature had to be stopped – hopefully Atticus could still be saved when the dust settled. He was in canon…hopefully circumstances would remain the same here.

"I'll start off by summoning **Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands (1400/1000)!** " A grey humanoid creature with an appropriately huge amount of extra hands appeared, a fierce expression on its face. "When this monster is summoned, I can add a ritual monster or ritual spell to my hand. I choose to add Machine Angel Ritual to my hand. Now, I'll set one card face-down and attack your face-down card!" Alexis declared.

The Manju let loose several dozen fists in a grey flurry, taking down Atticus' face-down monster. It was revealed to be a small green dragon wearing old world steel armor. "You hit my **Troop Dragon (700/800).** When it's destroyed by battle, I can special summon another Troop Dragon from my deck to the field in defense mode!" Nightshroud explained. An identical dragon appeared, bent on one knee.

"Alright…I end my turn." Alexis said, seeming to have no plays available with the three cards in her hand. This was one of the worst possible duels in which to brick; hopefully Nightshroud was having a similar situation.

Although it was difficult to tell through his mask, there was definitely a look of consternation there on Atticus' face! Perhaps the playing field was still even. "I summon **Soldier Dragons (700/800)** in attack mode." He growled, unhappy with his draw. Two crimson dragons wearing similarly medieval armor descended from the volcano's maw, landing next to the green Troop Dragon. One held a double-sided axe and the other wielded a lance.

"I'll end with that." Atticus ticked.

Alexis drew, and it seemed she now had a necessary piece for a play. She had to know that if she played anything, the Soldier Dragon's effect would go off, allowing him to summon a level two dragon from the deck. But she couldn't let that deter her. What was interesting about this duel is that Nightshroud seemed to be playing Atticus' deck – a deck that Alexis was surely familiar with. If she knows how to beat a Red-Eyes deck though, I had to wonder why Kagemaru would have Nightshroud fight her in particular. I'm almost positive he made some key adjustments. But Alexis has changed her deck recently as well, so perhaps any advantage he had would be nullified.

"I summon **Cyber Petit Angel (300/200)** in attack mode." The familiar pink mecha fairy appeared, cringing beneath the weight of the volcano's heat. 'This card operates similarly to Manju, only it lets me add a Cyber Angel to my hand. I add Cyber Angel Benten."

"Since you activated a card effect on your turn, my Soldier Dragon's effect activates, letting me summon a level two or lower dragon from my deck. I choose to summon **The Black Stone of Legend (0/0)** in defense mode!"

A mottled, pitch-black egg emerged from the lava, nested inside a cluster of molten rocks. Nightshroud now had three monsters, with the Black Stone taking highest priority among the three. Despite the fact she would do more damage by attacking either the Troop or Soldier Dragons, the Black Stone would be able to special summon a Red Eyes Black Dragon out of the deck if it stuck around until next turn. I couldn't signal to her at all form inside this prison – I had to trust that she knew the right plays. Hopefully her match with Erin, interrupted though it was,

"I play Machine Angel Ritual, sacrificing Cyber Petit Angel and Manju to ritual summon **Cyber Angel Benten (1800/1500)**!" Alexis conducted the ritual summon expertly. The fan-wielding machine took the field, familiar in its ferocity.

"Well, well, sister, I see you've added some new cards to your deck. Maybe this time you'll finally beat your big bro, eh? The stakes are certainly high enough to warrant giving everything you've got." Nightshroud's tongue slid past his thin lips, relishing in the girl's pain.

Alexis grit her teeth, visibly trying not to let the masked man distract her with his taunts. "I attack the Black Stone of Legend now!" She cried as her angel lunged forward, fan blades extended.

"Tough luck, blondie. Activate reverse card, **Negate Attack**!" A swirling typhoon of energy blocked off Alexis' attack, leaving his three monsters untouched. Alexis, strangely enough, seemed fine with this, despite surely knowing what his strategy was. "I set two and end my turn." She said.

"Alright, my turn!" The demon in human skin began with a flourish. "It's time for my egg to hatch! I activate my Black Stone's effect. By sacrificing it, I can summon a level seven or lower Red-Eyes monster from my deck. Guess which one I'm choosing?" Nightshroud asked facetiously as pillars of lava unnaturally rose vertically from the drink towards the top of the volcano again. From the inside of the volcano's story, molten rock was animated and given shape. It darkened and molded until the familiar visage of the **Red-Eyes Black Dragon (2400/2000)** was hovering behind Atticus. Once the ace monster of Joey Wheeler, today the black dragon served a far more wicked master.

Seeing this iconic monster in real life was amazing, regardless of the circumstances. This dragon was not as powerful as the Blue-Eyes, to be sure, but it had a more menacing quality that, along with its raw potential, made it an incredible sight nonetheless. The way the lava's light glinted off of its scales, the burning crimson eyes…it felt as though we were in a fire-and-brimstone interpretation of hell. Of course, if we lost, we would be getting intimately familiar with an actual hell, so I hoped that this would be the extent of our strange travels.

"I switch Soldier Dragons to defense mode." The red dragons, miniscule in the face of the Red-Eyes, bowed before their superior. "Now, I'll attack your little doll with inferno fire blast!"

A bloody fireball burst from the dragon's maw, but surprisingly enough, the Cyber Angel was able to avert destruction. Alexis winced at the attack's heat, but stood strong otherwise. "By banishing Machine Angel Ritual from the graveyard, I can prevent my monster from being destroyed." **(Alexis 3400/Nightshroud 4000)**

Although she mostly succeeded at remaining stoic, I could tell that the minor burn she received from that attack hurt a lot. I felt a surge of protectiveness, but right now those feelings were not useful. Quelling them was not easy, however.

"The girl winces after only a gentle lick from the flames…and to think that you are supposed to be one of the great heroes charged with this school's defense. You can never defeat me in a shadow game. You shrink from the flames, but I was born inside them. But then, you will never have to worry about this pain once your mind and will are nullified." The madman said with disturbing calm.

An arc of orange magma streaked across the dueling field. "If you think this is enough to stop me, then think again. I will never, ever give up until my brother is returned to me!" She roared unyieldingly.

Disappointed at her lack of anguish, Nightshroud looked at his hand before concluding with one set card rather lamely.

"My turn." Alexis drew with a similar flourish. "I set one card. Next, I attack your Soldier Dragon with Cyber Angel Benten!" With a single slash of the sheet metal hand fans, the red dragons were summarily sliced and diced. "And due to my monster's effect, you lose life points equal to your monster's defense points, which were 800 in this case." The mechanical dancer flipped through the air and let loose a gust of wind from her fans that knocked Nightshroud on his ass. **(Alexis 3400/Nightshroud 3200)**

Seeing her adversary visibly harmed seemed to bolster Alexis' resolve. She was running low on resources, however, so she had to end her turn. Hopefully her face-downs were useful.

Nightshroud, the ham that he was, took his time in rising. He wiped a dribble of blood from the corner of his mouth with his knuckle. "That you resist, despite everything….it would be better for you if you submitted." He said with a completely blank expression and tone that was in itself far more disturbing than the cackles and the taunts. He stared her dead on unblinkingly, although obviously it was impossible to tell beneath the mask. This guy was…glitchy, ever-shifting, like a shadow on the wall. "Everything will eventually return to darkness…"

"Jamie…can you hear me?" Alexis turned back, her profile marred in shadows. "Yes." I said back. I could hear both of their voices loud and clear, even over the sizzling of the magma- I could only assume some magic was involved. She saw my lips move, but the shake of her head told me everything I needed to know. She was alone utterly, which I knew from the beginning, but needed to have confirmed nonetheless.

"I end my turn." She turned away from me.

"I already said I didn't want to hear him speak! Now, it's my turn! And if I know you well enough, which I do, I know that face-down is some kind of battle trap. You're not going to surprise me, girl. I know your mind. Your habits are known to me, and your will alone cannot defeat me." Nightshroud intoned. "Besides, what do you even gain from victory anyhow? Do you truly believe your brother will ever return to you, that he will be the same as he was before he left? There is nothing worth fighting for in this world, nothing at all." He should have known by now that these nihilistic tirades weren't going to work. Acknowledging this, he moved to continue his turn.

"Since I know that you have a trap, I will not be so foolish as to attack. Instead, I activate the spell card **Inferno Fire Blast**. This lets me inflict damage to you equal to my Red-Eyes! It's a direct attack by another name!" Red-Eyes Black Dragon let loose the titular fireball with a roar. It completely engulfed Alexis, a horrible shriek mixed with the sound of a blazing inferno.

The way smoke rose form her prone frame in wispy grey plumes reminded me sickeningly of meat fresh from the grill. The comparison nearly made me retch, but it was where my mind went. When the dust settled, the jacket she was wearing was reduced to cinders, leaving only a thin periwinkle t-shirt covering her top. The grey pants she was wearing were heavily singed at the bottoms, and her shoes were gone. Her hair was about an inch shorter than before, some of her locks lost to the flames. The duel disk, strangely, was unharmed, although how I had no idea. **(Alexis 1000/Nightshroud 3200)**

I was paralyzed, as rigid as a board. The attack was clearly devastating – Alexis tried to crawl to her feet, only to collapse prone on the ground each time she tried. The phantasmal nature of the attack caused an inconsistent effect on her – her clothes and hair were damaged, but her skin seemed fine but for a few scratches and welts. Soot covered her arms where she shielded her face from the blast. She wheezed – the air was choked with smoke and heat, difficult to breathe in regardless of her injuries.

"Yes, that's it, fight on! Relish the pain, it lets you that you're still alive!" Nightshroud seemed to draw on her pain and take nourishment from it. However, before he could gloat further, Alexis managed to catch eye contact with him. The laughter ceased abruptly, and Nightshroud suddenly clutched his mask in pain.

While he seemed to struggle with a sudden headache, Alexis rose to her feet and recovered her breath enough to speak. "Heh…" She coughed, but the pain was not enough to dispel the savage pleasure she felt. "I could say…the same thing." She swayed. " My brother would never let me get pushed around by someone like you. He's fighting from within…I know it."

"You know nothing! Atticus Rhodes is a dead man! No trace of him exists in this realm any longer!" Nightshroud shouted, seemingly trying to regain control. Slowly, agonizingly, his left arm lowered from his face. Nightshroud clenched his left hand, as if to make sure it was still…functional.

"I end my turn. Hurry up and go!" Despite being in control of the match, Nightshroud seemed very rustled. Maybe Atticus really was fighting from the inside. He sure as hell didn't do that when he was fighting Jaden in canon, at least not as I remembered it. Then again, maybe this was happening because he was fighting Alexis. It was all the difference in the world – Atticus didn't even know Jaden prior to the Abandoned Dorm incident, while Alexis was his little sister. I bet that made it easier to resist the surely smothering pressure Nightshroud was using to suppress his will. Kagemaru most likely ordered Nightshroud to place Alexis on high priority was to test how strong the possession actually was. Thankfully, it appeared said possession wasn't as strong as Nightshroud would have liked.

"Yeah, I will. I was never too sure about the whole 'heart of the cards' thing, but this was one hell of a lucky draw! I activate the equip spell **Ritual Weapon** and attach it to Cyber Angel Benten!" Alexis said with new vigor. A golden crossbow was affixed to Benten's forearm, a bow made of blue energy coursing between the drawstrings.

"This weapon gives Cyber Angel Benten 1500 attack and defense points, meaning it has 3300 attack points! I switch my monster to attack mode!" Her warrior took aim, a bolt of buzzing azure electricity drawn back.

Nightshroud's eyebrows became visible as they rose above the mask. "Attack the Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" The ice queen commanded, and arrow fired with a zap. It speared the mighty dragon through the chest and caused it to shatter into frames. **(Alexis 800/Nightshroud 2500)**

"And don't forget my monster's effect! When it destroys a monster, you take damage equal to the monster's defense points!" Cyber Angel Benten took another shot, this one directed squarely at Nightshroud. Without hesitation, she loosed the round. Although it didn't actually leave a hole in Atticus' body, it might as well have for the pain Nightshroud felt. He skid across the plane, his back crashing against the inner walls of the volcano. **(Alexis 800/Nightshroud 500)**

I felt a thrill race up my spine, daring to let myself feel hope as his life points entered the red zone. It was gonna be a close one – I felt that it would come down to how useful Alexis' face-down was. Nightshroud still had his Troop Dragon on the field, and doubtless some other tricks, such as the Black Stone's graveyard effect.

Nightshroud stood up far too quickly considering the blow he just took. Thick black energy tendrils curled around him, either healing his wounds or more likely numbing the pain. The creature had limitless control over darkness – he was Darkness, but for the human body he wore as a set of clothes. The blue eyepieces on his mask glowed. "It will take more than that to kill me. The sacred beasts will be mine."

"I know." Alexis shot back. "So what do you want with the sacred beasts anyway? Why go to all this trouble if you are such an all-powerful entity? Why bother with the game of Duel Monsters at all?" She questioned, mainly to buy herself some allotment of time to rest.

"I was created from the darkness in people's hearts manifested in the form of Duel Energy. You see, Duel Monsters as a concept far precedes the modern trading card game we are playing right now. It has existed in some form since the dawn of humanity as a form of ritualistic combat. The ancient Atlanteans, the Egyptians…even beings from beyond the stars have all learned to duel independently of each other. This is no coincidence. Dueling is a mirror for the heart. Those who duel for noble ends give birth to the cosmic force of the "Light". Those who duel for wicked ends create "Darkness". You see, it was mankind that gave birth to my world." Nightshroud's explanation was both illuminating and yet utterly unfathomable.

"That can't be true! Humanity has nothing in common with you, monster!" Alexis' protest, simplistic as it was, likely was inaccurate as well.

"It is impossible for you to understand. You see, only a piece of me lies within your brother. Even if fate wills you to be victorious today, I will survive. I will always survive, and everything will join my world eventually. That is why I say that this duel is pointless." Nightshroud responded resoundingly.

"No…as long as there is light, humanity can always drive you back!" Alexis echoed the point Jaden made to the creature in season four of canon. I would have loved to give my two cents in this little discussion, but the damned bubble prevented me from doing so.

"You will find that the Light is not necessarily a preferable alternative to my world. In time, you will realize this, if you are wise." Came Nightshroud's cryptic response.

Alexis stood straight. "Maybe. Before we finish this, I have one last question. Why do you inhabit my brother? What happened that night in the Abandoned Dorm?"

"That is a question you can ask your traitorous professor if you have the chance…or your brother when you join him in my realm!" Nightshroud drew a card, signaling the return to combat.

"I'll start by activating my trap card, Red-Eyes Spirit! This lets me summon a Red-Eyes monster from the graveyard with no cost! Come back, Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" The familiar old beast returned, although it was no match for Cyber Angel Benten at this point.

"Then, by tributing Red-Eyes Black Dragon, I can upgrade its form to the **Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon (2400/2000)**!" As Nightshroud spoke, dark iron plate gathered around the dragon's scales, giving it yet another coat of powerful defense. Bloody orange jewels encrusted its scaled wings, with sharp steel spikes forming along its tail. Most interestingly, Nightshroud seemed completely calm once again, as though Atticus had stopped fighting him. Dimly, I recalled that whenever Darkness Dragon or Darkness Metal Dragon was summoned in the show, Nightshroud gained further control over Atticus' mind.

"This dragon of mine gains 300 attack points for each dragon in my graveyard. Currently, I have three in the grave – Soldier Dragon, The Black Stone of Legend, and my Red-Eyes Black Dragon, putting the Darkness Dragon at 3300." Steam furled from the dragon's body as it grew in power. Behind Nightshroud, lava dragons in the shape of the destroyed monsters rose from the lake and spread their wings. They lent their power to the Darkness Dragon, pouring into the orange crystals on its body.

"Our monsters are equal…" Alexis said hesitantly, fearing that he still had more resources to use.

"For now, key keeper. With my normal summon, I'll sacrifice Troop Dragon to play **Meteor Dragon Red-Eyes Impact (1800/2000)."** Miraculously, the Troop Dragon had managed to survive the entire duel thus far, lurking in the shadows. But now, it vanished, replaced with a small, projectile-shaped wyrm that looked to be carved from an asteroid. Magma coursed through its veins, and its teeth were carved from stalagmites.

"And since I have one more dragon in the graveyard…" Saying nothing else, Nightshroud gestured for his dragon to attack. It unleashed a stream of dark fire, melting the Cyber Angel down to slag **. (Alexis 500/Nightshroud 500)**

"Burn to ashes! Meteor Dragon, attack her directly and end this duel!"

"Yeahhh…gonna have to stop you right there. I activate my trap card, **Call of the Haunted**! This lets me summon back my Benten in attack mode!" Luckily, her ritual monster had just enough attack points to give Nightshroud's dragon pause. If he continued to attack, he would have another dragon in the graveyard to boost Darkness Dragon, and Alexis' monster would be gone. He had a decision to make.

With a snarl, he said, "I continue to attack!" The Meteor Dragon and the Cyber Angel Benten tore each other apart, both going to the grave. Darkness Dragon's attack points were boosted to 3900 as a result of this, and Alexis' field was empty.

"Ok Heart of the Cards, I'm gonna need one last favor. I'll need a little bit of Jaden and Sugihara's luck if I'm gonna win this!" Alexis muttered to herself, causing me to chuckle in spite of the dire straits she was in.

"I draw!" She looked at her card and grinned. "I might just have to buy one of those scratch-off tickets after this, because I'm feeling lucky!"

"Damn right we will!" I cheered from inside the bubble.

"And my faith has rewarded me with the **Card of Sanctity**!" She drew four cards and I seriously couldn't believe that card hadn't been banned yet. Copies of it were hard to come by, but I knew I had to add some to my deck soon.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Nightshroud cursed, even as he drew five cards.

"Next, I'll play **Fusion Sage** , letting me add Polymerization to my hand!" Alexis smiled, happy with the cards she drew.

"Now, guess which card I'm going to play next?" Alexis jabbed.

"Wait, I thought your deck was supposed to be themed around Ritual monsters, this isn't fair dammit!" He whined.

"I fuse together my Blade Skater with my Etoile Cyber to fusion summon **Cyber Blader (2100/800)**!" The futuristic ice skater glided across the lava as though it were ice, as graceful as ever despite the blistering conditions.

"You'll find I'm full of surprises, Nightshroud, as is my monster! You see, its special ability depends on the number of monsters on your side of the field. And since you have two, that means my monster's attack points are doubled." Icy cold energy emanated from the dancer's body, blessedly cooling down the scorching arena.

"This game is over! Cyber Blader, attack the Meteor Dragon and send this hellspawn to the pit he crawled out of!" Alexis roared, two years worth of built-up rage and helplessness boiling over in this one instant. The power, the dignity had been reclaimed – she was taking fate into her own hands.

"No you don't! I activate my trap card, **Attack Guidance Armor** , redirecting your strike to Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon!" In a desperate countermove, Nightshroud avoided defeat by sacrificing his prized dragon. Cyber Blader's skates ripped through the steel scales like tinfoil, and the mighty beast fell into the lava pool with a screech. **(Alexis 500/Nightshroud 200)**

Alexis indeed looked irritated, robbed of closure, as her monster returned to her side. "Fine. Since you have one monster on the field, Cyber Blader's attack points return to normal. However, it can no longer be destroyed by battle. This is all I can do…I end my turn." She said. _"Please, tell me that I've gotten through…"_ was what her body language communicated.

Nightshroud clawed at his mask, tense and shaking. "Unngh….no…I won't let it end this way…my turn!" Barely, he managed to draw a card, only to drop his entire hand as he held his head in his hands.

 _"I won't let you hurt my baby sister any longer! Get out of my head!"_ A voice echoed from nowhere. It was an unfamiliar tone to me, but I had a pretty good guess of who it might be. The way Alexis' face _lit up_ was also a strong indicator that this voice belonged to Atticus Rhodes, the real Atticus Rhodes.

 **"I told you, your will has been nullified! Now let go!"** The true voice of Nightshroud was colder and raspier than the smug tones he had earlier.

 _"Has it? It sure doesn't feel like my will has been nullified, freak!"_ Atticus shot back. I guess we know which one of them was supplying the pithy taunts.

 **"You can't fight against me! I am the absolute! The true Darkness!"**

 _"Then go back to the darkness, and leave my family alone!"_ With that, the mask was torn off of Atticus' face, dissolving into shadow. Black spires of energy shot into the night sky, dissipating slowly as they went like steam on a shower wall.

When he opened his eyes once more, they were bright and very human brown irises. Alexis' brother had fought off his possessor! Alexis' last attack must have been just enough for Nightshroud to lose control of the takeover. Suppressing Atticus' will must have taken immense concentration, most likely due to the fact that Atticus was surely fighting every step of the way as well. Either way, it was good news.

Alexis' smile was pure and childlike – I had never seen anything like it on her face, and it immediately burned into my memory. At long last, the burden that had been shadowing her for over two years had been lifted. As someone who was burdened down by the past as well, I felt truly happy for her, and also wistful.

Wait a minute, I was still trapped in this fucking bubble! Hopefully Atticus knew how to work this thing. Come to think of it, how in the hell were we supposed to get out of here?

"Atticus…" was all she could say. Forgetting the game, she ran over to embrace her long-lost sibling. However, the dark forces that held dominion over the shadow game held her back and kept her to her side of the dueling field.

"Hehe, sorry sis…I know this reunion has been a long time coming, but we have to finish this duel of darkness." He said haggardly.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Alexis stammered, fear mounting once more. "I won't lose you again!"

"Hey, just chill out, ok?" Atticus said soothingly, a rather ridiculous request considering the circumstances. "There's only one thing left to do."

He placed his hand on the deck, the understood sign of surrender. As a formerly competitive player, I had seen plenty of surrenders in my time. Regardless of their skill level, most players knew when to fold em, this saving the time a protracted defeat would waste. This was definitely one of the more…emotional surrenders I had ever seen. I wasn't sure if Atticus could have still won if he tried, but it didn't matter, truly. The true victory was over the demon that had taken him over. **(Alexis 500/ Atticus 0)**

The monsters disappeared, and as soon as Alexis' duel disk deactivated, she ran over to her brother. However, before she could reach him, we found ourselves transported out of the volcano's insides, and onto the outer hill near the edge of the forest at the volcano's base. It was a dark and cloudy night, and the fresh night air was heavenly relief.

Atticus laid on his back, simply staring at the world around him with his own eyes. His fingers grasped at the ground as he re-familiarized himself with his senses. Alexis held him a tight embrace, glad beyond words to be reunited with her brother, as if that even needed to be said.

I made my way over to the pair of siblings, making my tread intentionally loud so as not to surprise them. "Looks like that worked out alright, then." I cleared my throat.

"Oh, shit!" Alexis cursed ungracefully. "Jamie, I forgot about you, I'm so sorry!" She stood and gave me a hug as well. It felt nice, although her burns and scarring worried me. The Rhodes siblings needed to get to the infirmary as soon as possible before the adrenaline wore off.

"Don't worry about it, you had a few other things to contend with. The only problem I had to deal with in there was my legs cramping up." I replied into her hair.

Letting go of me, she shook he head with a bemused smile. "Do you always have an asinine one-liner at the ready?"

"I had plenty of time to think of one. I figured you had the duel well in hand anyways." I winked. She rolled her eyes before gesturing between Atticus and myself. "Well, this is my brother Atticus. Atticus, this is my friend Jamie Lancaster. He's an Obelisk Blue freshman like me."

Atticus surveyed me in that way all older brothers look at boys their sisters hang out with. "Nice to meet you, bro. I'd offer you a handshake and all that, but I think I'm dying."

"Uh, yeah, I texted a friend of mine. He'll get you two to the infirmary. Just sit back and save your strength." I said in what I thought was a firm, yet kind voice. I probably came out sounding like a douchebag as I often do.

"Is Fontaine still working there?" Atticus asked with a lecherous smirk.

"Yes." I said with a smirk in response, figuring that he was probably going to be just fine.

"Good, she's super hot." With that, he collapsed. Ok, maybe he won't be so fine. Alexis immediately panicked. "When is your man getting here?" She grabbed me by the collar and shook. I removed her hands from my person, not finding her manhandling of me helpful. Luckily, we soon found ourselves blinded by twin headlights. The shining beams threw Alexis' injuries into sharp relief, horrible red burns contrasting with ashen skin.

"Oops, probably should turn the brights down. You wouldn't think a golf cart would have brights, but I guess it's for the dedicated players." Adam Sugihara sat behind the wheel of a Rosewood Sporting Goods brand golf cart. He was still in his work uniform, having just got off a late shift. Fortunately, the shop wasn't far from where we were.

"Please tell me this cart wasn't stolen from Harry's shed." I groaned. Adam could be more reckless than Joey Wheeler when we wanted to be.

"Ok, this cart wasn't stolen from Harry's shed. Does that make you feel better?" He answered blithely. Alexis gave him a reproachful look, so he continued on with, "Well excuse me, princess, Jamie told me to get here as soon as possible, so I did what I had to do. Besides, once Rosewood hears it was you I was picking up, he'll probably wish he came along with me. I've already contacted Fontaine and she's expecting us, so let's make like a tree and get the fuck out of here. I'll return this jalopy before he even knows its missing."

"Well said, now help me lift him in." I gestured over to the unconscious Atticus. Adam gulped, but he got out and helped me set Atticus in the back nonetheless. He knew nothing about the Shadow Rider conflict and what it entailed – I simply didn't have the time to fill him in. Frankly, the fact that he came here at all, let alone as quickly as he did, spoke volumes of his loyalty. I decided to fill him in as soon as an opportunity arose.

Adam drove the golf cart along the dust-beaten path to main Academy building, managing to avoid most of the bumps along the way. "Thank you for doing this, man, I really appreciate it." I said to him.

"Uh, I would say no problem, but I have no idea what is going on. How did these two get hurt so badly? And what's with the brown-haired guy? I've never seen him before!" As good as Sugihara was at keeping his cool, he was abuzz with questions.

"I'll fill you in as soon as we have a spare moment, which might be tomorrow from the looks of things. Just know that you've done a good thing today." I said mysteriously as we rolled up to the school's hospital wing. A medical team lead by Miss Fontaine waited outside, and as soon as we fully stopped they loaded Alexis and Atticus onto stretchers. My eyes met with Fontaine's. I made for her as soon as we stopped, Adam waiting awkwardly in the driver's seat.

I opened my mouth to begin a long-winded explanation of the situation, but she raised a well-manicured hand in response. "Don't worry, mister Lancaster, the headmaster has informed me of the situation with the Shadow Riders. It appears my suspicions about the supernatural were correct after all." She said professionally.

"It seems they were. I trust that you recognize the man Alexis was with?" I asked, my tone hurried. Despite what she said, I certainly was worried.

"Yes. We can only hope that his mind is retrievable, to say nothing of his physical injuries. Alexis is in slightly better condition, you'll be glad to hear. Thank you for bringing them here so quickly." She relayed.

"Adam and I will surely be back before the night is out. The other key keepers are doing battle with another Shadow Rider at this very moment. We have to go now." I explained tersely, despite wanting nothing more to remain here and ensure that Alexis was going to be ok.

"We'll handle things here. Just leave the dueling to Professors Crowler and Banner. We will do everything in our power to ensure Atticus and Alexis' safety." She advised. Little did she know that Banner was exactly the enemy we were trying to defeat. I hoped that Crowler managed to beat the dark alchemist, but really it was difficult to imagine even from an optimistic viewpoint. In opinion, the only two key keepers who had a chance against Banner besides myself were Zane and Jaden, but even Jaden was a more unknown quantity to me since he lost to Chazz.

I gave Fontaine a short nod. "Adam, let's go." I gestured to the cart. He silently assented, hopping in the driver's seat and starting it up. "Are we good on gas?' I asked as I slid into the passenger seat. It was certainly a bit ridiculous that we were making our heroic entrance in a Rosewood golf cart, but sadly we had no other options.

"I filled it up before I left, we should be fine. I just need to get this back to the shop before it opens tomorrow…" He trailed off, turning the key. "Can you fill me in on exactly what is happening on the way?"

"Yes, thanks for being patient. I just hope we can get there in time…" I huffed as we tore across the island, leaving a trail of dust in our wake. Above us, the clouds began to break, the full moon shining a bloody orange in the sky.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **I thought having Alexis and Nightshroud duel would have some good dramatic potential - there is something deeply powerful in the conflict that so often arises between siblings, although obviously there is a third party at play here. Of course, this is reflected in the chapter title, which is a shout-out to one of the greatest films of all time, Pokemon the First Movie. But anyways, this was a good opportunity to have Alexis personally conquer a demon of hers - driving back Nightshroud on her own is certainly going to be a large part of her character arc. I was inspired by the end of the Yugi vs Marik duel in the Battle City arc when writing the end of this duel, with Atticus fighting back from the inside and eventually surrendering the duel. In the end, I'd like this Shadow Rider arc in particular to have a distinct flavor from canon while also honoring the source material, because future SOTM story arcs are going to start departing more and more from the stations of the canon. I hope I'm able to make these duels interesting for you readers, they can be difficult to write compared to a conventional fight scene. But then, they can also be easier in some respects.**

 **Next chapter will feature the duel between Jaden and Banner. I know its been a while since Jamie has dueled, but I feel it is important to develop these side characters at this point in time through dueling while having Jamie's character evolve and grow more in the background. Other characters that will be dueling soon include Zane Truesdale and Adam Sugihara. All that aside, I wish a happy new year to you all, let's make 2018 great!**


	17. As Above, So Below

Chapter 17: As Above, So Below

I gave Adam the necessary plot summary as we drove to the Slifer Red dorm, where I knew the duel of darkness was taking place. As we got closer, I saw flashes of light and color that were surely byproducts of the battles. The worst-case scenario would be Banner standing over the fallen duel academy students and Crowler with five keys in his possession. At the very least, however, he was the one working against the clock and not us. In some ways, Alexis being in the hospital was a slight comfort as well. Even if by some miracle Banner defeated me, he would have to wait until Alexis was recovered before he could get his hands on the last key. That the keys required duel energy to function was a strange rule, but it worked in our favor in this instance.

"So the headmaster gave you guys a choice with taking these keys? I wonder what he would have said if you turned him down." Adam commented dryly. The revelations I dealt him did not seem to throw him off his groove at all. Then again, I supposed a gambler like him would be skilled at containing any surprise he felt. It was a virtue born of vice.

My throat felt dry. "Something tells me there was never really a choice. Life would most likely have gotten difficult if I refused him, and we'll just leave it at that. Apparently, Sheppard takes his orders directly from Seto Kaiba himself." I answered as we drove along the western coastline, our cart leaving rapidly fading tracks in the sand.

"You probably would have had to transfer to North Academy. Could you picture Chazz's face when he sees you getting off the plane?" Adam joked. Alexis would scold him for not taking this seriously if she had been here, but I didn't really care. In fact, it helped me take my mind off things for a second. I gave a laugh, but it faded quickly as we arrived at our destination.

Crowler hung suspended in an imprisonment sphere similar to the one I was stuck in earlier. The sight of it caused my brow to furrow. It seemed that the esteemed professor lost, but Banner decided to spare him anyways for the time being. I could not say that this was a surprise, as Banner was supposed to be the strongest of the shadow riders. And yet, I found it hard to imagine that his canon deck would be capable of beating an Ancient Gear user. Perhaps he was using different cards?

Jaden has stepped forward to face Banner, just as the treacherous professor intended. Somehow, Banner was able to perceive the dark powers that lurked within the boy. If he wasn't aware of the Supreme King and the Gentle Darkness (which I personally doubted he was) then at the very least he could tell that there was more to Jaden than meets the eye.

The Slifer Red had one card face-down and a set monster. It appeared to be the end of his first turn, judging by the fact that Banner had five cards in hand but nothing on the field. Either way, the two enemies put their match on pause at our arrival.

"Adam, Jamie! You're all right!" Jaden smiled, his anger dulling at the realization that at least one of his stolen friends was alive and unscathed. The others seemed taken aback at our unorthodox method of transportation, but were glad to see that I was ok nonetheless.

"I knew you and Rhodes could beat that smarmy prick!" Erin cheered crudely, putting aside her feelings about Alexis for the sake of presenting a united front.

"Sorry to interrupt the dramatic showdown." I said, dismounting the cart. Adam did the same, brushing some dust off his pants. "The first of the Seven Stars has been defeated. Before the night is out, another will fall." My droll tone belied rage as I glared at Banner. For his part, the last duel seemed to have put some strain on his artificial body. His black hair was slowly turning to grey, and a vein could be seen in his left temple. This news was unnerving to him, his lips pursed in a frown.

"Where's Alexis? And how did you get here, Sugihara?" Zane asked.

"Alexis won, but the duel injured her greatly. She needed medical attention, so Jamie called me over to get her to the hospital wing. This was the fastest way to get there at the time. Sweet ride, huh?" Adam answered, patting the top of the golf cart with mock affection.

" **But she will be all right?** _"_ Jaden practically glared at Adam, the moonlight causing his eyes to seem much brighter than usual. As I would've expected, Adam kept a poker face.

"Yeah, we think so. And don't kill the messenger, Slifer." He replied coolly. Taking note of the difference in rank was a bit harsh in my opinion, but Jaden snarling at the guy was also harsh. Tensions were high among all.

"Uh, sorry. Something weird just kinda came over me…" Jaden straightened himself out, sounding sheepish. Banner watched the exchange with interest – Jaden in particular caught his eye.

Deciding to interrupt his gaze, I spoke up. "So, it seems you defeated Crowler, but did not kill him. A curious choice." He did not respond to me. He didn't even look my way. I knew he was trying to spur me to anger, but I managed to quell my temper.

"What happened to the Shadow Rider, Jamie?" Zane asked, interrupting the silent battle of wills. "He looked familiar…too familiar."

"That's because Nightshroud is the name of a demon that was possessing the body of Atticus Rhodes, Alexis' brother." Saying the name shocked Zane and Erin in particular.

"No way…he was thought to have died at the abandoned dorm over a year ago..." Zane, for once, was truly unbalanced by this new information.

"Yeah, I remember that. Eight other students disappeared that day too, but no one ever learned the exact circumstances of what happened. You wouldn't happen to know anything about what happened to the others, would you Banner?" Erin turned towards the rogue alchemist with a false sweetness.

Banner's expression was unreadable as usual. "It doesn't matter now. To my knowledge, the other students are well and truly dead." He replied.

"I seem to recall that Atticus and those other Obelisks were told to meet at that dorm for an extra credit duel exam. I was invited as well, but I couldn't attend because I was sick at the time. Are you sure you don't anything about the circumstances I just described?" Zane interrogated.

Banner chose to be honest. "Yes. My master instructed me to gather a powerful group of students and harvest their duel energy as a way of bypassing the Spirit Gate keys and take possession of the Sacred Beasts. That is the truth." He spoke solemnly.

"How could you!? I used to respect you as a man of knowledge, a fellow scholar. That you would stoop this low just for sake of achieving immortality…those were your students!" Bastion roared.

"So you tried to kill my best friend…tried to kill me. You did all this solely for the sake of achieving immortality." Zane's voice was low with rage. "You're never going to get your wish. Tonight, you will die, Banner."

"Why did Atticus live while the others didn't?'" I demanded, trying to head off Zane before his anger got the best of him.

"His will was particularly strong… far stronger than the others. He was able to resist the darkness for quite some time, and in the end, we were not able to completely destroy him. That's why the darkness instead took over his body and mind and molded him into a tool for our cause." Banner recalled with a grimace.

I balked. "You're a fool if you think the darkness serves you and your master. I saw the incarnation of darkness firsthand. It was only using an infinitesimal fraction of its power to control Atticus. Alexis had to bring that fraction to near death before Atticus could fight back from the inside. Its full power is surely far beyond our comprehension…"

Banner finally turned to regard me. "Even if what you say is true, that fragment was defeated by a mere schoolgirl. Alexis Rhodes is most likely the weakest of the key keepers. Once the Sacred Beasts are ours, then Nightshroud will no longer be a threat to humanity. We are only using the darkness to achieve our goals. Locking the beasts away is a waste; they should be used to serve humanity against the cosmic forces that wish to destroy us!"

"I'd say you're doing a fine enough job of destroying humanity without the help of any demon. We will handle Nightshroud and whatever else is out there without your twisted definition of 'help'! Now let's duel!" Jaden growled.

"Very well, Jaden…I sense your anger, your frustration. Use it. Draw on the darkness within you and show me your full potential!" Banner goaded. I still wasn't sure if was aware of the Supreme King and the Gentle Darkness, but it was looking more and more like he did.

However, Jaden's first turn was finished, having a set monster and his face-down. "Your turn." Jaden barked. In the background, Zane's stare was boring holes in Banner. Adam and I stood on either side of him, ready to hold him back in because things got nasty. Then again, if Banner kept flapping his gums, I wouldn't be able to contain my rage either.

"I set a card. Next, I'll summon **D.D Warrior Lady (1500/1600)** in attack mode." A woman with straggly brown hair and tight black garb took the field, wielding a dagger cloaked in bright white energy.

"Next, I'll attack your face-down monster." The woman rushed forward and plunged the knife towards Jaden's unknown creature. However, her strike was rendered ineffective, her sword sinking harmlessly into the arms of a wooden statue **Elemental Hero Woodsman (1000/2000)** was Jaden's face-down monster.

The warrior recoiled back to Banner's side of the field, the traitorous professor receiving a small shock of pain from his failed attack. **(Jaden 4000/Banner 3500)**

I was surprised that Banner went for such a strike. Surely, he could have imagined that Jaden would've set a monster with high defense points. Even if he used D.D Warrior Lady's effect to banish both monsters, it would leave his own field bare. Perhaps his fight with Crowler exhausted him more than any of us could initially perceive, which was good. A few more mistakes would be all Jaden needed to win. I only hoped that the boy would not let his anger overtake him.

"I set two cards and end my turn." Even Banner himself seemed perturbed that he made this mistake.

"Okay, my turn! I'll start by summoning **Elemental Hero Sparkman (1600/1400)**!" The familiar golden boy took the field. "Now, I'll attack your D.D Warrior Lady with static shockwave!" From the nodes on his palms, the hero unleashed waves of blue electricity.

"In response, I'll use D.D Warrior Lady's effect! When it is involved in a battle, I can banish both of our monsters involved in that battle." Before the lightning bolts could strike her, the woman plunged the dagger into the ground, opening a dimensional portal into which both her and Sparkman were swallowed. However, Banner still took another glancing blow from the battle. **(Jaden 4000/Banner 3400)**

"Alright, that's it for now." Jaden, like Crowler before him, was unsure of how well he was doing. Even though he had seen many of Banner's cards in the last duel, Jaden was generally unfamiliar with decks that focused on banishing. However, Jaden had powers beyond the average duelist, and that was the wild card here.

"Let us once more go beyond the stars! Activate reverse card, **Macro Cosmos**!" A backdrop of stars and galaxies framed the duel. The hyper-realism of the spacial environment was mind-boggling. This was more than a hologram, it was an illusion generated with dark energy. Adam and I gaped while the other key keepers were unfazed. I imagined Banner probably played this card in his last duel.

Now that all cards were to be banished, many of Jaden's cards, such as Wroughtweiler and Fusion Recovery, would be dead. Even his Woodsman's effect on the field would be useless, since Polymerizations would now never go to the graveyard. Hopefully he wouldn't draw them. I'm sure his "faith in his cards" or some such bullshit would see him through. Then again, is it bullshit if it works?

"Next, I'll set a monster and end my turn." Banner ended with little fanfare. It seemed as though both duelists were merely sending out feelers to see how the other would respond before bringing out the big guns later. Like wolves, they circled each other and watched attentively for a faltering.

Jaden took a breath and drew, focusing on it as though it were some kind of skill that could be mastered. Perhaps it was – I couldn't be sure how much of this duel was left to the winds of fortune and how much was influenced by the two duelists' latent dark powers.

"I activate **E-Emergency Call** , letting me add an elemental hero from my deck to my hand. Next, I'll summon **Elemental Hero Stratos (1800/300)** in attack mode!" A male warrior, garbed in blue armor and a jetpack powered by twin fans, flew unto the field.

Jaden's lucky that card hasn't been banned here, although I believe it was limited to one. Then again, it really should be off the list in my own world by now. Before I died and found myself in the world of GX, Elemental Hero Stratos had been banned in the card game I knew for almost four years, despite the fact that Heroes were not powerful enough to warrant the card getting hit. It had gotten to the point where saying "free Stratos" had become a meme on Youtube comment sections and forums.

"When Stratos hits the field, I can either add a Hero from my deck to my hand or I can destroy a spell or trap for each separate Hero I have on the field. I think I'm gonna send your Macro Cosmos packing early!" Gusts of wind burst forth from Stratos' jetpack, blowing away the celestial environment and returning us to the front of the Slifer Red dorm, our trip to space cut short. Humorously, I caught Bastion looking somewhat disappointed – he clearly enjoyed looking at the various nebulae and galaxies.

"Now, Stratos is gonna attack your face-down monster!" Jaden grinned, having seemingly foiled Banner's strategy. However, Stratos found itself flung back by a slimy pink tentacle. Although everyone was a bit grossed out by this, Bastion seemed particularly disgusted – can't imagine why. Hastily, the hero managed to halt its momentum by activating its jetpack and lowering itself to solid ground. Stratos had attacked **Necroface (1200/1800)** and since the monsters had equal attack and defense values, both survived the battle.

"Shoot! I almost had him! But at least you won't be able to banish our cards anymore!" Jaden said.

"For now." Banner shot back. Clearly, Jaden was proving to be more of a challenge than he anticipated. A subtle shift occurred as both duelists realized the time for testing each other was over. Another factor to consider was fatigue – it was nearing one in the morning, and everyone got up early the day before for class. Both players had an increased likelihood of making a misplay. As the adrenaline from the night's events subsided for the time being, even I felt a distinct weight on my eyelids.

"I'll set a monster face-down and end my turn." Banner snapped. It was clearly a bait, but Jaden knew he had to take it on anyways.

"Okay…" He liked his draw. "I'm going to activate **Polymerization** , fusing Elemental Hero Stratos with the Elemental Hero Lady Heat in my hand to summon **Elemental Hero Nova Master (2600/2300)** in attack mode!" Streaks of flame burnt black lines across the grass as a hero draped in bright orange armor took the field. Like fireflies, the sparks that emanated from its body flit through the air.

"How many of these fusion monsters does he have, anyway?" Erin asked the question everyone was thinking. Well, I was thinking it anyways. Okay, I was the only one thinking it, alright?! Geez!

"How does his deck even work? It's like he just draws whatever he needs, when he needs it!" Bastion said with a grimace, no doubt recalling his loss in the School Duel prelims.

"Now, I'll attack your Necroface with nova flare!" Jaden's fiery hero let loose a stream of white fire towards the horrific babyface.

"I activate my trap card, **Interdimensional Matter Transporter**! This banishes my Necroface until the end phase. And this goes on to trigger Necroface's effect, causing each of us to banish the top five cards of our deck!" The monster vanished in a blip, as though someone had just turned off a television.

"Damn! Guess I have no choice but to redirect my attack towards your face-down monster!" Jaden's monster jumped into the air and sent down a rain of fire towards Banner's remaining monster. For a brief moment, I saw a tattered yellow piece of cloth with two crossed red marks on its surface. It was **Mask of Darkness (900/400)**!'

"Let me guess, that thing has a special effect." Jaden muttered with uncharacteristic snark.

"You do learn quickly when you apply yourself, Jaden. Mask of Darkness allows me to add a trap card from the graveyard to my hand. Think, Jaden. I have need of ways to banish my cards. Which card do you think I'll pick?' Banner asked, indulging in a pop quiz.

"Macro Cosmos…" Jaden frowned. "Well, I'll find a way to get rid of it again, that's all! Besides, when Nova Master destroys a monster, I get to draw a card. That'll end my turn." As Jaden spoke, Necroface reappeared on Banner's side.

"Hmm, that was a little better, but that is not your true power, Jaden. You must gain control of your inner shadow."

"What are you talking about!?" Jaden blurted. "You keep talking about the so-called darkness in me, but you've never bothered to explain what you mean by that! I don't have any crazy dark powers in me! I'm just a normal guy!"

"You know what I speak of, you are just denying it. Everyone has a dark side, a monster capable of horrible atrocities. Those that deny that side of themselves are weak. In your case, however, it's a bit more…literal." Banner replied. The shadow game was putting him through his paces – his hair was now completely white, and his skin looked extremely dry. I caught Banner's eye and mutual understanding passed between us. He had no idea how I knew about the darkness in Jaden – I had to wonder what theories his head was cooking up.

"You don't know anything about me! And I won't do what you want me to do!" Jaden declared fiercely.

"You fail to understand now, but one day, you will. I draw. First, I'll set two cards. Then, I'll set another monster and end my turn." Banner said, each turn seeming to be a repeat of the last.

"What is this guy's endgame? This is a very strange deck." Adam asked, having not seen the duel between Crowler and Banner.

"Well, he's a strange guy." Bastion answered, of course. "Essentially, he's trying to banish as many cards of his as possible to pump up his Helios monsters. Their attack points are determined by the number of banished cards he has."

"Huh, well there you have it. I remember I pulled some card that had an effect based around banished monsters during an unboxing video. I forget what it was called though, it had a weird name…" Adam pondered.

"Say, how's your DuelTube channel faring, anyways?" Erin asked, overcome by curiosity.

"Just got my 50th subscriber yesterday! I think I'm catching onto something with these unboxing videos I'm doing." Adam puffed his chest, thinking this fact would impress Erin.

"I don't get it. Why would people watch a video of some random guy unboxing duel monster cards? How odd." Zane scratched his head, unable to comprehend the appeal of such a channel.

"At least it isn't light novels, eh?" I say with a cheeky grin, enjoying the reprieve from the tense duel.

Zane grimaced. "I don't know where Syrus keeps hiding them…no matter how many I confiscate from him, they always come back!"

"He's clearly studying for when he becomes a harem protagonist one day." I laugh.

"Well, it takes one to know one." Zane replied, and I growled, knowing he got the better of me in this particular exchange. Erin looked over at us and rolled her eyes, but otherwise did not seem opposed to my status as a "harem protagonist", which I'm not by the way!

"First, I'll set a card." Banner's voice caused our little banter to halt. We all knew what the face-down was. Macro Cosmos would continue to be a thorn in our sides. "Then, I shall summon a monster with limitless potential, more than enough to wipe you out! I summon **Gren Maju Da Eiza (?/?)**!"

"Oh yeah, that's what it was called!" Adam's lightbulb moment was drowned out as an enormous red-scaled demon scuttled from a dark portal behind Banner. It was huge, easily five times taller than the Slifer Red Dorm and twice as thick. It could clutch any one of us in its claws like one would hold a French fry. Bastion and Erin recoiled in fear while Zane and I stood stoic.

Jaden stood tall and stared it down. "Limitless potential, huh? And why's that?" He questioned.

"This monster gains power for each of my banished cards. 400 each for attack and defense. Since I have six cards banished, the monster has 2400 attack and defense points." Banner noted. Jaden breathed a sigh of relief, as his Nova Master was still stronger.

"Next, I shall cast the spell **Soul Release** , allowing me to banish up to five cards from any graveyard. I shall choose the Necroface, Interdimensional Matter Transporter, and Mask of Darkness from my graveyard to power up Gren Maju by 1200 points." Sickly green energy coursed along the demon's body as it powered up to 3600 attack points.

"Now, attack!" The crimson creature lunged, slashing apart Jaden's hero with ease. **(Jaden 3000/Banner 3400)**

 **"** This is only the beginning of my monster's power, as you'll soon see. I end my turn." Banner huffed.

"There's gotta be some way I can still win…let's see. I'll start by playing **Elemental Hero Bubbleman (800/1200)** in defense mode. Since he's the only card on my field, I get to draw two cards." The familiar blue hero took a knee next to Jaden.

Jaden did not look too pleased with his draws, however. "I set a card and end my turn with that."

"During your end phase, I activate the trap Macro Cosmos once more! Now, things are back under my control." Yet again, the duelists and spectators were flung into space.

"I summon **D.D Survivor (1800/200)**!" To Banner's field, a tall blond man wearing tattered beige robes and a cybernetic arm appeared. "Now, this game of ours ends! D.D Survivor, attack Bubbleman with special rend!" Opening the palm of his prosthetic hand, the D.D Survivor blasted the hero with a purple laser of mysterious origin. Since Bubbleman was banished, Gren Maju Da Eiza's attack points increased to 4000.

"This is the end, Jaden! You and your friends will all fail, and it will be entirely your fault! Gren Maju Da Eiza, attack him directly!" The red monster swiped at Jaden, intending to rip him to ribbons. The sidelines gasped, thinking that this was the end for him. I gulped, hoping that Jaden's face-down would be useful. Otherwise…

My fears were, for a time, abated. The swipe was blocked by Elemental Hero Stratos, who managed to hold off the claws for a second before being sliced up himself **. (Jaden 800/Banner 3400)**

"What is this?" Banner was not just shocked that Jaden had avoided death again. When he looked upon Jaden's face, he saw something horrifying. I moved to see Jaden's eyes for myself, a part of me already knowing what happened.

They were a bright, unmistakable gold.

"I activated my trap card, **Call of the Haunted** , to summon Stratos from the graveyard to take the hit. And since he was summoned, I can add an Elemental Hero from deck to hand." Jaden's voice was unlike before – now it had a distinctly metallic tinge to it that set everyone on edge. Jaden held out his hand, and the card he wanted to search _materialized_ in his hand, digital particles coalescing to create the card.

"What the hell was that?!" Bastion gaped, reason failing him. No one had any explanation. It appeared that the extent of Jaden's powers were beyond even what I expected.

"Ah, I see you have finally shown some of your latent darkness, Jaden. Good…" Banner muttered, so quietly that I was sure that only I heard his words.

"You can threaten me all you like, that doesn't matter. But to threaten the lives of my friends like you have is unforgivable, Banner!" Jaden roared. "I draw!" His visage was hard, cold, and basically completely unlike any expression I had ever seen on Jaden's face before. Were the others seeing this? From where I was standing, I could easily see Jaden's face, while the others couldn't. Was this going to lead to the Supreme King being unleashed sooner than in canon? If so, why? Jaden hasn't undergone nearly the amount of trauma that led to those circumstances in the tv show. Was something about the duel of darkness bringing those powers to the surface? It was impossible to be sure – the nature of light and darkness, along with the other cosmic forces that rule the world of Yu-Gi-Oh, were ill-defined.

"I have just the card to defeat you! I activate the spell card **Parallel World Fusion**! This magic allows me to fusion summon using banished monsters. By placing Sparkman and the Winged Kuriboh banished off Necroface's effect back in my deck, I can bring forth a powerful hero! Flash forth, **Elemental Hero The Shining (2600/2100)**!"

A burst of light exploded in the starry night, blinding us with its intensity. In the center of a shining ball of energy came a humanoid figure, a man wearing gleaming white armor. Around its body hung six spears hewn from the purest gold, giving a heavenly appearance.

"Interesting…the power of darkness has let you call forth a being of light. Remarkable…" Banner murmured.

"Like your monsters, this hero also gains power from the banished zone. The Shining gains 300 attack points for each banished Elemental Hero I have, which is six in total since you banished four of my heroes with your Necroface effect! This brings my hero's power up to 4400!" The light became unbearably harsh, and each of the spectators had to look away from the battle.

"I see…you have managed to use my own power against me. The heroes are powerful cards indeed." Banner's statement was curious; he did not sound upset at this turn of events for reasons I could not fathom.

"Elemental Hero The Shining, attack Gren Maju Da Eiza with optical burst!" The light suddenly condensed and compressed into the Elemental Hero's hands, his fingers curled around the sphere of energy. Thrusting its hands forward, the beam of light struck Gren Maju Da Eiza with a devastating slam. When the regular night-time conditions returned, there was no trace of the enormous creature left. Despite Banner having a huge advantage in life points, it felt as though the tides had irrevocably turned. Banner had fallen to one knee, although with difficulty he managed to right himself once more. If nothing else, he was utterly determined to live on. **(Jaden 800/Banner 3000)**

"For the sake of the friendship we once shared, I will give you this last opportunity to give up and leave this place. Come on, Banner…I know you don't have much left in the tank. Don't make me do this." As Jaden spoke, his eyes glimmered and slowly returned to their usual brown shade. His voice softened with emotion, for he truly did consider Banner a friend at one point.

Banner closed his eyes and smiled, donning the mask that had deceived Jaden for so long. "You have a good heart, my boy. But I have struggled for years to find the secret to immortality. To quietly go into the night was never my destiny."

"I don't know if there's such a thing as destiny. I think that in the end, we have a choice. Today, I'm gonna choose to protect this island, and the people I care about." Jaden responded.

"We are all fish swimming in an ocean of paths, and the path we choose to embark on colors our destiny."

"Is it the winds of fortune that guides us?" Banner looked at Adam, who tilted his head noncommittally.

"Or is it our strength?" He looked at Zane, who did not visibly react.

"Is it the level of education we receive?" Bastion nodded, not realizing that this is what Banner expected of him.

"But perhaps our passions are what really matter." He said, Erin's smoldering gaze boring into him.

"But maybe it is the imposition of the individual will upon the world." He looked upon me. Those words would stick with me for a long time.

"And we can be sure that our pasts define us to a degree as well." Finally settling on Jaden, Banner continued. "All of these things contribute to fate, I feel. Part of growing up is figuring out which of the infinite paths available you will choose to walk."

Jaden smiled. "You always were hard to understand, professor."

"Then let us return to the language of dueling, which you understand so well. It is my turn. I switch D.D Survivor to defense mode and set a card face-down to end my turn." Banner finished quietly. I could tell that he drew a useless card.

Jaden drew a card, normally this time. For the time being, it looked like his dark powers had grown dormant. But his resolve remained strong. "I activate the spell card **H-Heated Heart**. This gives Elemental Hero The Shining 500 extra attack points and the ability to inflict piercing damage." The hero burned bright with the power of the equip spell.

"This is the end, Banner! Elemental Hero The Shining, attack D.D Survivor now!" Another blast of light ended the duel of darkness in a rather understated fashion, but that was simply the way the game turned out. **(Jaden 800/Banner 0)**

Banner fell to one knee, his artificial body at the very limits of its capacity. The energy ball that held Crowler dissipated, causing the professor's body to land on the grass with a thud.

"Well done! I knew you could do it, Jaden!" Bastion stepped forward to congratulate his friend. However, Jaden solemnly held up a hand, wishing us all to stay back as he approached Banner. I eyed the hero duelist warily.

For a moment, it seems the Supreme King's power broke free. Well, that's not the right phrase, I think. It's more like Jaden simply slipped into the dark as though he had wielded such power his whole life. I guess it probably comes with the territory of being a reincarnation of the literal King of Darkness. Of course, he gets the cool edgy dark powers and I get diddly dick except for some Melodious cards I probably can't even use.

Then again, the power is more of a curse than a blessing. I, at least, was seemingly free to determine my own destiny, discounting the possibility that this second life of mine was part of a video game or simulation. I hadn't been subject to any tedious stat sheets or level up screens, but one could never be too sure. But Jaden's life was surely not his own – he was a plaything of the universe. This made me angry - it wasn't right that Jaden's free will meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. In this moment, however, Jaden's will was enough to suppress the darkness – unless this too was a move in the universe's game.

Jaden knelt down to look Banner square in the face. I peeked again, and his eyes were still brown, not gold. "For what it's worth, I'll always remember the good times we had, Professor." Jaden's words were rueful.

Reaching inside his jacket pocket, Banner procured his Shadow charm, a mysterious tome with the Eye of Wdjat on the center of the cover.

"Take this, Jaden. It will prepare you for what is coming. I never wanted to see you dead...perhaps this will help you defeat the rest of the assassins."

Jaden grasped the book, a card falling from the pages as he did so. He picked up the card, but was not able to read it in its entirety before Banner spoke again.

"Many regrets weigh on my heart in these final moments, but knowing you was not one of them, Jaden. You have made me proud today. This duel has made you stronger." He said, grasping the Slifer's outstretched hands.

I shuddered when he spoke of dying regrets. I know that feel, bro. Banner's scarlet eyes settled on me for one last time, and in that moment he knew. Somehow, he knew everything about me in that one second. And we, who have both walked through the veil of death, understood each other.

Then, Banner's form crumbled into dust and sand, leaving only his clothes and glasses behind. A cold breeze blew in from the sea, scattering his remains to the four winds. Jaden stared at the card given to him, his eyes wide and unresponsive.

Hastily, I looked around for the cat Pharaoh, wondering if Banner was going to house his soul inside the animal as he did in canon. My eyes scanned the clearing, but the cat eluded my vision. I thought I saw something moving within the tree line to our backs, but I couldn't be sure if was a cat or something else. I doubted I could have seen Banner's soul sphere (?) flying around anyways.

"Hey, are you all alright, Jaden?" At the sound of Zane's calm baritone, I ceased my search, deeming it fruitless. Jaden looked numb for a moment, and I felt genuine fear that the darkness had overtaken him. The moment passed, however, and Jaden seemed himself again, albeit far more somber than usual.

"Yeah." Jaden answered. "I just wish it didn't have to be this way. Dueling is just supposed to a fun game, a way for people to come together. Fighting like this…it isn't right."

Jaden's Kumbaya, happy-go-lucky attitude could be a bit irritating sometimes, but it really was the glue that held this band together. Besides, he was a fifteen (or maybe sixteen, I forgot his birthday) year old kid. Kids were supposed to be capable of seeing and celebrating the good in life. Seeing him troubled like this is disconcerting. I didn't want him to go through the trauma he went through in canon, although I might not have a say in the matter if it really is fate for him to become the Supreme King.

"You did the right thing, Jaden. This is what Sheppard asked us to do. You saved us." I said, putting what I hoped to a comforting hand on the guy's shoulder.

He nodded. "Yeah, I know. I just can't believe Banner was really a Shadow Rider. He really kept a good disguise up. It was pretty lucky you overheard him talking to his boss like that, Jamie."

"Yeah, no kidding!" I scratched my head even as I felt Erin's eyes boring into the back of my head.

"You're absolutely right, Jaden. Secrets can really destroy a person." Erin chimed in. Ah shit, she was totally onto me. Man, being a self-insert is harder than it looks! I kinda regret trashing them like I did that first morning I woke up here. It seems like I'm always worrying about a ticking time bomb of some kind.

"So that's two down…" Bastion said to break the silence. "I wonder how we can prepare for the others…"

"What I want to know is whether any more of these assassins lurk on the island. Keep a close eye on any non-key keepers." Zane wrung his hands. Adam and Erin gave him a weird look, causing him to amend his statement. "Uh, besides you two of course."

"All we can do is wait for them to come to us in the meantime, I think. For now, let's get Crowler to the infirmary. Jaden, are you wounded as well?" I asked firmly.

The hero duelist shrugged. "I'm fine, Jamie. If it's all right with the rest of you, I just want to get some sleep."

I gave him a searching look, but he seemed…all right, I guess. "That's probably a good idea. The rest of you can go to bed as well, if you'd like. Adam and I can take care of professor Crowler." I spoke towards the rest of the group. Bastion, Zane, and Erin seemed to find this idea agreeable. They started to amble back to their respective dorms, Erin giving me a suspicious look as she left.

Adam gave me a sly look as they all got out of earshot. "What's got her panties in a twist?"

"Don't worry about it." I grumbled, wondering how I was gonna worm my way out of this one. Frankly, the night's events had left me at my wit's end.

"Look, I went to elementary school with Erin, so I know how she is. She's one of the only women I know that's actually bad at holding a grudge. Whatever you did to piss her off, she'll probably forget about in a couple of days." He said casually, and I hoped that his advice would prove correct.

"Heh, maybe." I shrug as we both gently lifted Crowler into the back of the cart. "We should go really slow on the way back, since it's uphill."

"Yeah, the last thing we need is Crowler falling out on us…hey Jamie, are you good to drive? Seeing what…happened…to Banner has got me a bit rattled. It's one thing to see somebody die, but to see someone crumble into dust like that…He may have been a scumbag, but that was fucked up." Now that the others left, Adam seemed comfortable enough to let some of his nerves show. If I were a normal sixteen-year-old, I would probably have felt the same way.

"Sure thing, man. But you'll need to take it back to Harry's tonight, ok?" I said gently.

"Yeah, I can. I just need to shake this off." He replied as we jumped in the cart and got going. Adam frequently looked back to make sure Crowler wasn't moving while I focused on the dusty path ahead.

"I wonder how it feels to…to die." Adam murmured, causing my blood to freeze.

"I guess that depends on how you go. There are surely some gentler ways and some…more painful ways." I said numbly. The circumstances of my own death rushed to the forefront of my mind. The sound of gunshots and police sirens rang in my head, drowning out all other noise.

"Sorry, that was a weird thing to say." Adam said quickly, immediately brushing off the topic.

"Uh, it's ok. I get where you're coming from. It's just that nobody can ever really know what it's like to die, ya know?" My throat was dry.

"I guess. Then again, we know there's a ton of magic powers out there in the world. Wouldn't surprise me if somebody reincarnated into this life from a previous one. I mean, anything's possible, right?"

"Yeah…" My grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Anything's possible."

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **Trying to write a fairly serious duel here in as believable a way as possible. I tried to have Banner's end be as fitting as possible for the character while also hinting at Jaden's darkness and a few other character progression points. It can be tough to advance character development during duels, but I think I'm getting better at it. I'd like to thank the guest who recommended me the Top 10 Duels in Yugioh (A Scientific Analysis) article, it was a good read and I'll think of it while writing duels in the future. This material was strangely difficult to write even still - I'm glad to be moving on to some new stuff. Now with that said, I've gotten a bit busier as of recently so updates may be a little laggy. I'll try to get chapters out fast while also keeping a good level of quality up. I will not drop this story. I have the plot mostly planned out from here, it's just a matter of putting it to page in a way that satisfies me and you. That can be difficult at times, but I really like to write this story and will not give up on it! Thanks to you all for reading thus far! Catch ya on the flippity-flip.**


	18. Caught In A Landslide

Chapter 18: Caught In A Landslide

Soon enough, we made it to the infirmary with our professor in tow. Fontaine's staff informed Adam and I that Alexis and Atticus had stabilized, although Atticus was fixed in an inexplicable coma. Alexis, on the other hand, would only need a few days of treatment before she would be up and running again. Better still, Crowler's recovery would take even less time than that.

Adam took the cart back to Rosewood Sporting Goods, his own odd behavior having seemingly passed. Hopefully that situation would resolve itself without involving me. I had no patience for Harry's bullshit at the moment. Without thinking, my legs lead me back to the Obelisk Blue dorm. I passed out as soon as I hit the bed.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

I woke up at ten in the morning, only sleeping for five hours despite my tiredness. My sleep schedule was thrown off-kilter to be sure, but I took respite in the idea that the Shadow Riders would most likely wait for an interim of time before sending out another opponent for us to face. As much as I was raring to fight one of these freaks myself, some time to regroup would be nice. This was an added layer of suckiness for the others that I didn't have since they were supposed to be learning while all this shit was going on.

I crushed a bottle of water and went to check my phone. Around five in the morning, Adam told me that he managed to get the cart refilled and back to the shed before the shop opened. He also said that he planned to be honest with Harry about what had happened. I imagined that this wouldn't be a problem, as long as he excluded the more supernatural elements of the night's events and emphasized the part about saving milady Alexis to trigger Rosewood's white knight instincts. I texted this advice back to him and trusted that the situation was handled.

I had already missed two classes, although Crowler's was cancelled for obvious reasons. He would be back by next Monday, though. Banner's, on the other hand, was cancelled indefinitely, also for obvious reasons. According to my next message, Zane had gone to Sheppard to break the news about Banner's betrayal and subsequent death earlier this morning. Sheppard excused the key keepers, along with Adam and Erin, from class for the day, but we were supposed to meet in his office at one in the afternoon. Then, we could decide on a plan moving forward.

The final message was from Sheppard himself, who formally excused us from classes for the day. However, he refused to say more until we met him in person that afternoon. I could only imagine what the official story was going to be regarding Banner.

 _"Since I have some time to kill, I should go see how the injured are holding up…"_ I thought groggily as I threw on some sweats and left the room. I stopped by the dining hall on the way out to grab a quick bite, and more importantly, to fill my thermos to the brim with coffee. I ate a hasty meal consisting of an apple, a few slices of summer sausage, and some hard-boiled eggs before making to leave. However, on the way out, I also decided to stop by the sweets tray and grab a chocolate bonbon, as they were Crowler's favorite. Call it brown-nosing if you want, but the guy could probably use one at the moment.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Shouldn't you be in class, Signore Lancaster?" Crowler said as I entered his private room. Alexis and Atticus were being treated in the outer wards – sadly, Alexis was asleep, and Atticus was in a coma, and he would stay in that state until Titan was defeated.

I wanted to march off to the Abandoned Dorm right this instant and go looking for the Shadow Rider, but the numerous blunders I made with the Banner situation has taught me patience. In time, he will be forced to seek the key keepers out, which means we get the advantage of a defensive position. It is easier to hold ground than to take it, after all. I was such an idiot for ousting Banner the way I did. For as much as I mock Harrington Rosewood for being a white knight, I was partially motivated by own feelings for Alexis in that instance. I wanted to enact vengeance on the one who sent her brother to the dark in the first place, and I never even got to duel the bastard.

 _"There's no need to overthink things. Even if things proceed exactly the way they did in canon, we would be just fine."_ I thought, before realizing the Crowler asked me a question. "Sheppard excused the key keepers from class today, as well as Adam and Erin."

"Well, with two classes cancelled, it's just as well I suppose. The good news is I'll be hale and hearty by Saturday now, according to miss Fontaine! Why, we only have to miss three days of my class. Wonderful news, eh?" Crowler asked, and I wasn't quite sure whether that statement was meant to be a joke, so I pivoted from it.

"Professor Fontaine said that this would be fine to eat, doctor." I said, offering the bonbon to him. Sure enough, he grinned from ear to ear at the sight of the sweet.

"Ah, this is exactly what I needed, Signore Lancaster. Thank you. You should come by with another one of these after the meeting with the headmaster." He practically demanded.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Will do. I was planning to come by later tonight anyhow."

"Ah, yes." He responded knowingly. "We can only hope the Rhodes siblings recover as swiftly as possible. It's a shame that Banner did not reveal how he turned Atticus to the dark, as well as what happened to the missing students."

I stayed silent, not wanting to say anything…suspicious. "Maybe we'll find out someday. I'm certainly curious to know the answer."

"I feel that Banner was only a piece in a greater game beyond our current comprehension. But to speculate further at this point would be fruitless. We should focus on defeating these Shadow Riders." Crowler said with uncharacteristic decisiveness. The man actually could be a dignified professor when he wanted to be. I think he sensed that I had little patience for the whole posh diva routine, so he dropped it around me. Of course, the fact that I was an Obelisk Blue most certainly worked in my favor as well.

"I'll be back later to fill you in on the meeting, doctor." He nodded wearily, and I took my leave. I took one last look over at Alexis, but she was still not awake. Sighing, I slowly went on my way. Aimlessly, I ambled around the building, my mind blank and hazy. I don't really smoke, but it certainly would have been an opportune time to look out a window longingly while lighting up a ciggy. Girls love that sort of thing, right?

"Ah, you're early, mister Lancaster." Sheppard waved me in. As per usual, the jolly old fellow was sitting at his desk in front of the large picture window he had that faced the southern shore. Nothing out of the ordinary there. What surprised me was the man sitting across from him.

There was no other day to describe it; his appearance was powerful. The man wore a crisp, bright white suit with a blue tie that matched his wintry eyes impeccably. He was a Tinder-approved six-foot-one. His brown bowlcut was insulting; this man had so much money, power, and influence, that he could walk in a room with that bad a haircut and no one would say a word against it. A kerchief with a Blue-Eyes White Dragon pattern hung from his shirt pocket.

Seto Kaiba rose from his seat, his cold blue eyes boring into me. "Lancaster, huh?" He said neutrally, although there was a seemingly omnipresent intensity to him.

"Uh…yeah." I steeled my nerves, although I was certain Kaiba had already perceived my shock. "It's nice to meet you in person, mister Kaiba."

"Yes, I remember you well…you were of the students who helped subdue Wheeler. I would thank you, but I seemingly recall that you attempted to leverage that against me the very same day." Kaiba said placidly. I was frozen to the spot. Sheppard gulped audibly, and there was a screeching silence.

Then, he cackled loudly. "Don't sweat it, kid, I used to do the same thing when I was your age. It's good to go after what you want, and you had the perfect opportunity. Sadly, I've been around the block too many times for something like that to work on me. If it makes you feel better, I was looking for an excuse to can that project for the longest time anyways."

Uh…wha? So…ok? "Well in that case, you're welcome." I said dumbly, at a loss for words otherwise.

Sheppard looked at me like I was insane, but Kaiba just laughed again. "Can you believe this kid, Sheppard!? I haven't heard this level of audacity in a great many years. Put er there, kid." Kaiba extended a handshake.

Prepping myself, I reached forward and took that handshake. Kaiba and I crushed each other's hands as hard as possible, our arm muscles subtly flexing as we each attempted to assert dominance. I figured he would go for the vise grip, and the only way to meet that is with a vise grip in return. Having the weaker handshake is intolerable. Kaiba would only respect arrogance and audacity – being humble or nice around him would only lead to being labeled as weak. Emerald green eyes clashed with polar blue as we both smiled falsely at each other. Sheppard was sweating profusely as he observed the clash of wills taking place.

The handshake lasted about forty seconds before Kaiba finally broke off. My hand hurt, but I made no attempt to massage it or appear as if I was in any sort of discomfort. "I suppose I should thank for taking up the duty of becoming a key keeper. After this ordeal is finished, you and your fellow students will be rewarded for your efforts. I value loyalty highly." He said.

"Thank you, sir. I've already applied for the summer internship." I reply cautiously. Kaiba grunted in response before taking out a flask from his inner coat pocket. He took a seat before taking a deep swig of what looked like whiskey. Glancing at the clock, I noticed that it was ten minutes before eleven in the morning.

The others arrived in short order afterwards. They were all surprised to varying degrees to see Seto Kaiba himself sitting in on the meeting, and Bastion found himself getting sized up the same way I was by the CEO. Bastion seemed much more intimidated by Kaiba than I was, but then again, he was an actual kid and I wasn't. As soon as Zane, Jaden, Bastion, Erin, and Adam arrived, Sheppard moved to speak.

"So-" Before Sheppard could get a word in, Kaiba silenced him with a look. "Sit down, I'll handle this." He said dismissively, not even looking at the headmaster.

"Before we begin, I'd like to thank you all for choosing to protect this school and the people in it. Not everyone has the fortitude to handle a challenge like this. The fact that two of you have decided to entangle yourselves in this conflict despite not even having keys of your own is commendable." Although that was supposed to be a compliment, the way Kaiba talks makes it sound like a condescending sneer.

"Thank you, mister Kai-" Erin began before she was interrupted.

"But enough of the pleasantries. One of my professors is in the hospital for a week and another is dead. The dead professor was a traitor. A student that has been missing for over a year suddenly reappears but is in a coma. That student is another student's brother, who also happens to be hospitalized for seemingly inexplicable reasons. What am I supposed to make of this? Frankly, I'm surprised KaibaCorp's stock isn't ever affected by all this bullshit, but hey, let's not pretend any of us know anything about economics." Kaiba rattled off impatiently. Wait, did he just admit to not knowing anything about economics?!

"That's about the long and short of it, sir. There are supposedly five more Shadow Riders out there planning to invade the island. They're after the Sacred Beast cards." Zane spoke up.

"They're after the what now?" Kaiba asked in genuine confusion, lighting up a cigarette despite the fact that we were indoors.

"Um, sir, that's going to set off the fire alarm-" Sheppard began to protest.

"Shut the fuck up." Kaiba glared, and I swore that Sheppard nearly wet himself on the spot. "Anyways, what are they after again?"

"Uh, you know, the Sacred Beast cards? Uria, lord of Searing Flames? Hamon, lord of Striking Flames…Raviel, lord of Phantasms?" Sheppard helpfully supplied.

Kaiba scratched his chin. "Not ringing any bells."

Sheppard pinched the bridge of his nose. "The rip-off god cards, mister Kaiba."

"Oh, yeah! Those cards are complete trash, right? Good thing they have all that destructive power stored within them, or else they'd be little more than coasters for my drink. Well, it's not a good thing in this case, but you know what I mean. Anyways, these Shadow Riders require all seven of the Spirit Gate keys to unlock those cards. Sadly, the keys are bound to this island, with ancient laws keeping them from leaving, if memory serves. Believe me, if I could have thrown these fucking things in a vault and forgot about them, I would have." Kaiba continued, completely unconcerned with swearing in front of high school kids. This was one of the most bizarre conversations I had ever experienced, and I barely resisted the urge to bust out laughing.

"Sir?" Bastion raised his hand meekly. "If the keys are bound to the island, then doesn't that mean we are bound to this place by extension?"

Kaiba regarded him quizzically, but Sheppard was the one who responded. "Yes, it is true. None of you will be able to leave the island while you bear the keys. However, the Shadow Riders will not wait long to seek you out. They are impatient to reach their goal."

I frowned. "That would have been nice to know before we accepted this responsibility." There were grumblings of discontent from the others as well.

"If this threat has not passed by the end of the school year, you all will receive free housing and meal plans on the island for the summer until the Shadow Riders are defeated. For your efforts, your tuition for this semester will also be greatly reduced." Kaiba answered.

The students brightened considerably at that, as though putting their lives at risk was a small price to pay in exchange for a free semester of school. Considering how expensive this place was, I guess I couldn't really fault them too much. Besides, the most powerful of the assassins was already taken care of. Once Camula and Titan are gone, we're basically home free.

"On another note, there's the matter of hiring Banner's replacement due to his "crippling health problems". I sent out application forms to a few worthy individuals this morning. They have until Friday to reply, and then I will handle the interviewing process. If things go well, there should be another chemistry professor here by the end of the month." Kaiba continued.

"Until then, I will teach the class in addition to my regular duties. This is not an ideal situation, but before long classes will return to normal." Sheppard finished. "Are there any questions you all have?"

"Who will be the new head of Slifer Red?" Zane asked.

Sheppard steepled his hands. "Professor Drummond will be acting head of Slifer Red until the new hire is confirmed." He answered. We nodded at this, the group having a fairly positive opinion of the professor, despite his perpetually bored demeanor.

"Mister Kaiba, would you duel me? I bet it would be a super sweet match!" Until now, Jaden had managed to keep himself relatively reserved in respect to the seriousness of the situation. Frankly, I'm surprised that held back his excitement for this long, considering the second-best player of the game was standing right in front of him.

Kaiba looked upon Jaden blandly. "Nah, I'm good. Anyways, if that is all, I need to leave. Time is money and whatnot." With that, he briskly made his way to the door, dialing his phone as he went.

"Huh, what a weird guy." Erin commented wryly.

"Well, what do you expect from a man who flies around in a Blue-Eyes White Dragon jet?" Zane chuckled. "Besides, he's a legendary duelist."

"The money doesn't lie. Considering his outfit is more expensive than a semester's tuition here, I can't really criticize him too much." Adam grumbled as he pulled at the collar of his Ra Yellow uniform.

Bastion and I were having a side conversation. "So, did you apply for the summer internship at Kaibacorp yet, Jamie?" The black-haired scholar asked.

"Yeah. I was thinking of asking doctor Crowler to be a reference for me, but I don't want to ask him while he's in the hospital. I got Fontaine to spot for me instead." I responded. "I visited him today and he seems to be recovering well."

"And what of the Rhodes siblings? Jasmine was very worried about Alexis."

"I think Alexis was just asleep, but Atticus is still in a deep coma. I have a feeling that's due to more…supernatural causes though. I think that once the darkness is beaten back, Atticus may recover." I said.

"It's impossible to say for certain. You should stop by later and see if she's awake, though. I think she'd be very happy to see you." He said with a knowing smile.

I gave him a droll look in response. The guy has some success with his first girlfriend and now he thinks he can go around shipping people, eh? The absolute madman. But he was probably right.

"I will. So, do you think Kaiba will actually hire us? We kinda did fuck up a major project of his." I pivoted.

"It's hard to read that guy. He's probably so rich that the concept of money has lost all meaning to him. Frankly, I think he rather admires audacity and theatrics, especially since his dueling glory days are long behind him." Bastion and I were on the same track in this regard. I had to wonder just what Kaiba was like as a person in this time period. I mean the dude was 28, it's not like he was over the hill. He was certainly eccentric, but not full-on mad like he was in the Dark Side of Dimensions movie…right? What was his relationship to Yugi and the others like nowadays? Maybe I would be able to find out more about Kaiba during the summer internship, if I landed the job. Having Bastion along for the ride would be fun too.

For the first time, I was considering what lied beyond the canon storyline in this world. What was I going to do for a living after I was done with school? The obvious answer would be to become a pro duelist, but I don't know if I'd like the life of a prizefighter. And yet, it would certainly be strange to graduate from Duel Academy and then go on to major in Finance or a similarly normal career path. It was just like Banner said - there is an ocean of paths stretched out before me.

"Who knows? Maybe we'll find out." I said noncommittally, the memories starting to come back again. However, a tap on the shoulder snapped me out of my reverie.

"Hey Jamie, can I talk to you for a second?" Erin asked in a seemingly innocuous tone. I mentally groaned. I knew that this moment was coming.

"Yeah." I answered. "See you later, Bastion." Giving me a smarmy look, he took his leave. We broke off from the others and left the main Academy building shortly thereafter. On the main path from the building, she finally started talking.

"So what's your deal, anyways?" She started off on the attack.

"As far as…?" I responded. This annoyed her greatly.

"Everything. Why do you act so strangely? You duel like someone with years of experience. Most students stick with the same set of cards throughout their school years. They form a sense of individuality based on the theme of their decks, and they form a bond with their cards. You don't have any connection to your cards at all. And another thing, how were you able to determine that Banner was a Shadow Rider? I never even began to suspect him of that." The questions poured out of her.

"I overheard him talking to somebody on a webcam who I assume is his master. They were talking about taking the beasts and using their power for the sake of immortality. Considering that taking the keys also kinda means the key keepers have to die, I didn't think it was so extreme to think that maybe he wasn't on our side. It turns out my suspicions were correct." Hiding in this lie didn't make me feel good, but she wouldn't believe me if I told the truth anyways. And even if she did…what then? If my secret got out, I would be treated as a curiosity to be studied, a glorified fortune teller. I didn't even dignify the whole "connection with my cards" question with a response. What does that even mean?

"What about when you knew right away that Blair was actually a girl?" She was flailing now.

"You knew that right away as well, if memory serves."

"Fair enough…" She narrowed her eyes. "But I can't shake this suspicion I feel. I've known you for almost half a year, and yet I feel like I don't know anything about you. You've never shared a single thing about yourself to me. I just don't get you."

"I don't get it, what do you want me to do?" She had perfectly good reason to be suspicious of course, and it made sense that she wouldn't exactly know why. It would be stranger if she jumped to the conclusion that I was from another timeline. Maybe I do give off kind of a weird vibe, but I couldn't pretend that I was just a normal guy like the rest.

"Just answer one question for me. What is the source of your knowledge?"

"What do you mean?"

"Just tell me!" She hissed, her annoyance peaking.

"Just leave it alone, Erin." I said, trying my best to keep calm.

Erin shook her head and laughed bitterly. "I don't get it. How am I supposed to trust you if you never put your trust in me? You know, I thought you were really amazing for a while there. But then I realized that I was basing my thoughts on an ideal. I don't know the real you, and maybe I never will."

Her words would have eviscerated a younger man, but not me. Breaking down and begging her not to leave would've only made her walk away faster. What was I supposed to do? If I told her the real truth, she would simply just run away instead of walk. A fatalist might say that our paths were always meant to diverge. At least, this is what I rationalized.

"Erin, there's a lot of things about me that no one can ever know. It's not a question of trust, if it were then we wouldn't even be having this conversation. I really like you…but some things must remain unsaid."

"Do you think you're the only person in the history of mankind to have problems? I could at least try to understand." She responded passionately.

If even one person knew the truth, it would eventually become public. That's how it always is with secrets, especially ones like these. "I'm sorry." I said solemnly.

"Me too, Jamie. Me too." She looked very sad, curling a light brown lock of hair with her finger. "I'll see you around…" She walked away towards the shoreline, presumably to surf.

I sighed heavily. As much as I griped about being a "harem protagonist" being pushed away by a girl like this was really a terrible thing. Would she have really understood if I told the truth? Or would she see it as a cooked-up story hiding the real truth? Was I a coward for this? My mind swam with horrible thoughts.

I decided that I needed some time to think things out. I made for the Ra Yellow dorm to grab my fishing gear. I left it in Adam's room. The last time I went fishing, Adam helped me clean and cook what I caught, and afterwards we played video games at his dorm for nearly the whole night. I hadn't fished since then, so my stuff was still there. Hopefully he would leave me alone.

"I'm a horrible person…maybe I deserve to be alone…"

XxXxXxXxXxXx

(Adam Sugihara POV)

"WHAT'S good Youtube, SimplySugihara here with another sick nasty Premium Gold First Edition Box Opening! Make sure to hit that subscribe button down below for more dope, awesome Duel Monsters content! OH BABY! I'm here today with my boy Jaden, say hello to the people Jaden!" Adam's normally sly voice was booming and theatrical for his Youtube audience.

"What's poppin', homies! Today we're gonna be getting our game on to the max!" Funny enough, Jaden's nineties skateboarder lingo combined with his goofy demeanor was perfect for these sorts of over-the-top videos. He and Adam often did collaborations together, and after the calamity of the last few days, the boys were more than glad to sit down and record a video. The camera was positioned over them as they both sat at Adam's dorm room standard desk.

"Ok, we're gonna start with the first pack, boys! I'm hoping for that Ultra Rare Sacred Phoenix, it's gonna be lit beyond belief! And- huh?" Adam was about to open the first pack when he heard a knock at the door.

Adam sighed as he turned off the camera. "Shit, we're gonna have to do the intro again. Sorry Jaden, I didn't think anyone would be coming by."

"No problem! I got nothing else to do today, so it's no biggie!" The hero duelist was still giddy over the fact that he actually saw Seto Kaiba in person.

Adam was surprised to find Jamie at the door. He expected that the Obelisk would be spending the rest of the afternoon with Erin. That he was back so soon meant something had probably gone wrong. It was obvious just from looking at him. Jamie's normally gleaming eyes were dull, and his posture had grown withdrawn.

"What's up, man?" Adam raised an eyebrow. "Hi, Jamie!" Jaden waved from the background.

"Hey." The Lion of Obelisk said, seeming somewhat distracted. Frankly, Adam thought that was a ridiculous nickname, but it seems to have stuck as Jamie made a name for himself in Obelisk Blue. He wasn't even sure whether Jamie himself knew about it, as no one called him that to his face. "I'm just here to pick up my fishing equipment. Sorry to interrupt a video or whatever." He mumbled.

"It's not a problem, we were just recording the intro. I picked up a Premium Gold box with my last paycheck. The market watchers are saying it's gonna be really valuable for the next couple months. I'm hoping to pull a couple of Snipe Hunters, myself." Adam babbled, hoping that talk about cards would distract Jamie from the source of his funk.

"Yeah, I hear that might some good backrow staples for my deck, too!" Jaden grinned boyishly.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I hear it's a good box." Jamie said, trailing off as he dug his tackle box out of Adam's closet.

"Yeah…so, how long are you gonna be out for?" The gambling duelist asked.

"Probably until dark. I work again on Friday, so I'll catch you there if I don't see you before that." Jamie answered quickly, putting a hand on Adam's shoulder to move him out of the way.

"Alright, I'll see ya then." Adam said to Jamie's back as he walked out the door.

Jaden shrugged. "Wonder why he was in such a hurry. It's not like the fish are going anywhere."

"I don't know, but he forgot his pole. I'll be right back." Adam said quizzically, grabbing the fishing pole from the interior of the closet. Hurrying outside of his room, Adam just barely saw Jamie turning the corner at the end of the hall. Half-jogging, Adam managed to catch up with his friend on the outdoor porch of the Ra Yellow dorm.

"Hey, wait up!" Adam rarely raised his voice, so when he did, people tended to be taken aback. Jamie halted and turned around, his brow furrowed.

"You forgot your pole, Jamie. You know, the thing that you fish with. Kind of an essential part of the whole thing." The Chinese duelist snarked off.

Jamie laughed as well, although Adam could not tell if it was genuine or not. "Yeah, that would make the act of fishing rather difficult. Thank you." He said, taking the pole from Adam's hands.

"Hey man, are you alright? I can tell that whole situation with Erin didn't go well." Adam asked, and Jamie seemed surprised at this, as though he didn't expect Adam to care.

"Yeah, things just didn't work out, that's all." Came Jamie's cryptic answer. Adam could understand not wanting to talk about such a thing though, especially so soon after the breakup. It was a shame, they seemed to make a decent couple.

"Well, just be careful. From what you told me yesterday, a Shadow Rider can show up around here at any time without warning. Stay ready so you don't have to get ready." Adam advised.

"I'll be fine. See ya later, Sugihara." Jamie nodded and went on his way, seeming a touch more relaxed than before at any rate.

"Heh, that guy's always been a bit mysterious…hopefully he doesn't do anything stupid." Adam rushed back to his room, eager to start up the unboxing video again. Jaden had briefly dozed off in his chair – it was clear that he was still relatively exhausted from his duel with Banner. Adam knew that Jaden tended to really get into duels, but he seemed like a totally different person out there at times.

 _"Just my luck to have a bunch of weirdos for friends…when the most normal one of the bunch is Bastion, you know have a group of oddballs on your hands."_ Adam groused internally but meant nothing malicious. The game was a little more interesting this way.

"Okay, let's start this bad boy up!"

They got the camera rolling once more and redid the intro. Adam figured that over the top behavior would draw in more views than his regular droll attitude. He also decided that for the thumbnail he would have him and Jaden making overly hyped faces, the best card they pulled, and perhaps a bright Technicolor background. Surely this would entice viewers by the thousands!

"I'll open the first one…okay, we got Golem Sentry, Next To Be Lost, Adhesive Explosive, Phalanx Pike, and a rare Snipe Hunter! Nice, that's already a decent pull for me. Your turn, Jaden." Adam began.

"Here we go! Let's see…I got a Hero Barrier, Fusion Recycling Plant, Forced Back, Helping Robo For Combat, and… a prismatic Elemental Hero Terra Firma?"

"Hey, Fusion Recycling Plant could be useful for your deck – wait a minute, what did you say that last card was?" Adam was caught off-guard, a rare occurrence.

"Check it out! A fusion between heroes Ocean and Woodsman!" Jaden sleeved the card carefully before handing it to Adam, who speed-read the text.

"Huh, I didn't see this card on the set list posted online. Considering that it's an ultra rare that supports a popular archetype, I would have heard of it. Come to think of it, I've never heard of this card before in my life." Adam scratched his head.

"Must be a misprint. Man, I really am lucky. This is super sweet! Do you think this card was meant to come out in a future set?" Jaden wondered with childish glee.

"Who knows? I can't even imagine the odds of such a card finding its way into your hands, it must be one of a kind at this point in time. Terra Firma's not even that good of a card, but this is still pretty cool. Wonder how much that baby would sell for…then again, most buyers would probably assume it's counterfeit unless we met them in person." Adam rubbed his hands together, dollar signs appearing in his eyes.

"What? There's no way I can sell this card, it's a Hero! And you always got to give the hero time to shine! Anyways, do you think that we should continue opening the rest of the box?" Jaden responded.

"Oh yeah, you're right. It's awesome that we got this on camera. This video's gonna get tons of views! And that means more of that sweet, sweet ad revenue baby! Oh shit, I should probably edit that out in post later."

In their excitement, Adam and Jaden failed to notice a black bat hanging from the windowsill, red eyes glowing before it flew away to report to its master.

XxXxXxXXxXxXxXXxXxXxXxXXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

It was nice to know that I still had some people in my corner. Adam and Jaden were good guys. My mind was set a little more at ease as I passed by the Slifer red dorm on my way to the coast. There would be a lot of people at the beach this evening, but as long as there was a spot open on the pier it wouldn't bother me.

As I ambled by the shack from the west, I saw Professor Drummond, of all people, approaching from the north. He was walking and reading at the same time – I don't really get how he could do either activity effectively at the same time, but whatever. As usual, he wore his navy-blue dress shirt with a white tie while also rocking some dark jeans and a pair of brown boots. Designer glasses along with tying his black hair into a man bun completed a very hipster look that only really worked on a certain type of man. I would certainly look like an idiot if I tried that style, but it worked well on him.

"Good day, mister Lancaster." He greeted without looking up from his book, which looked to be a biography of some famous statesman.

"Hey, professor." I said quickly, hurrying on my way. I was growing tired of being held up.

"Hold up." He said, closing his book and putting inside his backpack. "Are you busy right now, mister Lancaster?"

"I was just going to go fish. Why do you ask?"

"Ah, I see. I must confess, I'm surprised that you are not hounding me for a duel as you usually do. If you wished, we could have our match now and get it out of the way." He said with a lackadaisical air.

"Oh yeah!" I was pretty curious about what his real deck was. A good challenge might serve to take my mind off things just as well as anything else, and I would feel bad about brushing off the professor after directly asking him for a duel. That would bad etiquette. "Sure thing. Let's do this, teach!"

"I'll never get what is so exciting about these duels to you students…but any teacher worth his salt on this island has a decent deck. You'll see for certain right now."

"You don't like dueling?" I questioned. A character in the Yugioh universe (the Yugiverse?) who doesn't like to duel? Is that even possible?

"Eh, I mean I get the appeal of the game, but I've never really been super into it." Drummond shrugged lamely.

"Uh…" I scratched the side of my face. "You are aware that you are teaching at Duel Academy, right? No offense, but why in the hell are you teaching at DUEL Academy if you don't like to play this card game?"

"Ehh, benefits are good, I get to live on a tropical island, and I also actually get to put my History degree to good use. Considering how well Kaiba takes care of us, it's a pretty sweet gig. Beats working at a goddamn public high school any day."

I laughed. His reasoning was certainly understandable, but I am always surprised whenever I met someone in this universe who didn't have a stock anime personality. No wonder they never showed this dude in the show – he was way too ordinary!

"Alright, I got you. Anyways, I don't exactly have a duel disk right now, otherwise we could get started." I piped up.

"There are some extras in the shed. I'll grab one for you, just wait here." Drummond fished out his master key and rushed over to the Slifer Red dorm. A minute later, he emerged with a dusty old Battle City model duel disk, just like the ones used in the original series.

"These are older units, but they're patched to work with the newest cards, so you don't have to worry about any issues with the holograms." Drummond handed the device to me, and I had to admit it felt cool to use an old-school duel disk, rather than the academy model. The only thing that could be more old-school than this is if we used the Beyblade-style disks Kaiba had in the Duelist Kingdom arc.

Drummond won the roshambo and he decided to take the first turn. "I set a monster and…one additional card to start things off." He said disinterestedly.

"Ok, it's my turn!" I said with excitement. Despite the funk I was in, a good fight never ceased to make my blood boil. What was this guy's real deck? Today, I would finally know the answer.

My ever-useful Marshmallon was in my starting hand. Haven't seen this card in a while. "I'll also set a monster along with two face-downs. Your go."

"Very well. It seems we are both using a defensive strategy. I will force you out of that shell with this. I activate the trap card **Rock Bombardment**! By sending one rock monster from my deck to the grave, I can deal 500 points of damage to you." Drummond sent Lost Guardian from his deck to the grave, and a holographic rock passed through me as I took the damage **. (Jamie 3500/Drummond 4000)**

"Ah, a rock stun deck, huh? I have to admit, that wasn't what I expected, and yet I suppose it is a little on the nose for a history teacher." I bantered.

"Well, it's an anti-meta playstyle, so it doesn't tend to appeal to as many players. Besides, most prefer the aesthetic appeal of dragons or warriors rather than dry old rocks. I find that they suit me rather well." Drummond said.

It's gonna be tough to play around a serious rock stun deck, especially since I'm playing the meta at this time, which was Goat Control/Warrior Toolbox with a splash of Chaos functionality. I should avoid attacking into his set monsters if I can.

"To continue things, I'll set another monster and flip over my **Guardian Statue (800/1400)** " A dusty brown statue with huge arms rose form the ground. "When this is flip summoned, I can bounce one of your monsters back to your hand." Pointing at my set Marshmallon, I grumbled. So it was gonna be like that, eh?

"Now, I'll sacrifice Guardian Statue to summon **Guardian Sphinx (1700/2400)** in attack mode!" An animated sphinx clad in regal Egyptian garb gazed upon me, its eyes glowing.

"Now, I'll attack directly!" The sphinx chucked some golden plasma my way from its mouth, Nappa style. I decided to let the attack go through, not wanting to use up my trap cards until it was necessary. **(Jamie 1800/Drummond 4000)**

"My Sphinx's special ability flips itself into face-down defense mode once more. And when it's flip summoned…well, you'll see." Drummond attempted to be cryptic.

"Yeah, I know what the card does, dude. When it's flip summoned, all of my monsters get bounced." I cut him off.

"Well, someone's a little testy today. What's got you in such a bad mood, mister Lancaster?" Drummond asked with a mix of good humor and sincerity.

"Ahh…girl trouble, I guess you could say." I decided to answer with as much honesty as I could.

Drummond chuckled. "Say no more. I remember having plenty of girl trouble back in my high school days…good times." Yeah, I remember having a similar experience back in my original high school days too. I really didn't want to have to go through that again, but I guess it was a little late for that.

"I'm looking to take my mind off things, so let's continue, professor." I said blandly. He nodded knowingly and signaled for me to take my turn. I needed to take out his monsters before they could activate their flip effects.

My next draw served this purpose well. "I cast the spell **Nobleman of Crossout**. This lets me banish your set monster, as well as any monster with that card's name in your deck!" A knight with flowing blonde hair and bright silver armor took the field, plunging his sword into Drummond's face-down creature. It was, of course, Guardian Sphinx. Drummond was forced to search through his deck and banish his other copy of the card as well.

"And for my next trick, I summon **Exarion Universe (1800/1900)** in attack mode!" A centaur whose human half was covered in blue armor galloped onto the field, wielding a bloody orange double-sided spear. "I set one card face-down and attack directly!" My monster charged unabated towards Drummond, the spear (digitally) running him through. "I end my turn." I said. **(Jamie 1800/Drummond 2200)**

"As relentless as ever, I see. This will be an interesting matchup – I wonder how well my defenses will hold up against your playstyle." Drummond brushed himself off and prepared to take his turn. "Sadly for you, Nobleman of Crossout is limited, so it won't be so easy for you to bypass my set monsters in the future."

He was right, I was extremely lucky to have that card in my starting hand. For as much as I roast the Heart of the Cards, it still comes through once in a while.

"Breaking down my rock monsters will be even more difficult after I activate the field spell **Catapult Zone**." We were suddenly transported into the middle of a raging battlefield, with huge trebuchets on either side of us lobbing boulders over our heads. It was freaky as hell until I realized that it was just a very realistic, highly detailed hologram. "Now, if a monster of mine would be destroyed by battle, I can simply send a rock monster from my deck to the graveyard."

"Hmm…" I seem to remember Catapult Zone being a fairly modern card. Just how much of the card pool here was true to its corollary time period in my past life? It was so bizarre – some cards had their anime effects, while others had their OCG rulings, and others were from the 5D's and Zexal eras. There were no Synchros, XYZ's, or Pendulum monsters to be sure, but apart from that it was hard to determine from which time period these cards came from. It was no matter – I would just have to play around them and strengthen my deck wherever I could.

"It's not just to protect his board, he also probably wants rock monsters in the grave to summon Gaia Plate the Earth Giant or Megarock Dragon. Those can be handled with backrow, so I should be all right…" Thinking about strategy was a good way of getting my mind off things.

"Now, I'll set another monster and end my turn." His highly defensive style was not only a major divergence from the stock proctor deck he used on the day of the exam, it was also a unique counter to my own style. He was forcing me on the offensive, whereas with this deck I usually liked to sit back and wait for the opponent to trigger my backrow. He was the one setting the pace, which I didn't like.

"Okay…I'll sacrifice Exarion Universe to tribute summon **Airknight Parshath (1900/1400)** in attack mode!" I traded one centaur for another, although this one rode in on angelic wings, and more importantly, dealt piercing damage. With this, I would be able to circumvent the Catapult Zone's effect.

"Now, I'll launch an attack! Take em down!" The winged paladin swept down on Drummond's set monster with a slash. It was **Golem Sentry (800/1800)** , a door-shaped rock monster holding a blue axe. **(Jamie 1800/Drummond 2100)**

"A keen strategy, but my field spell keeps my monster alive." The teacher dumped a monster from his deck to the grave.

"That may be true, but since my Airknight inflicted battle damage, I get to draw a card." This guy's defenses were tough – it was rather like dueling against my own deck, although he was less reliant on traps and more so on defensive monsters.

"My turn." If Vector Drummond noticed my impatience, he didn't comment on it. "I activate Golem Sentry's effect, which allows me to flip him face-down once more. Next, I will – guess what? – set another monster! My turn is over with that."

I frowned. At this point, I was pretty sure he was setting up for a big Megarock Dragon play, so I had to finish him with one big play of my own. "Alright, I'll start by playing **Foolish Burial** to send a monster from my deck to the graveyard." I chose to pitch Don Zaloog, since he was a dark monster who could be used for Chaos fodder. With a chuckle, I realized that one of our future enemies was currently a card in my deck. Duel spirits are funny like that.

"Next, I'll summon **Breaker the Magical Warrior (1600/1000)**!" A knightly spellcaster clad in red Dark Magician-style armor warped to the battlefield. The hilt of his sword glowed with a green spell counter. "When this monster is summoned, he immediately gains a spell counter which raises his attack points by 300. However, I'm going to immediately remove that spell counter to activate his other effect, which lets me destroy a spell or trap on the field. Time for a change of scenery!" Breaker raised his sword skyward. From the tip of blade coursed dark purple energy which destroyed the Catapult Zone field spell and returned us to the front of the Slifer Red dorm.

"Now, it's open season on your monsters! Airknight Parshath, attack the face-down Golem Sentry!" With another slash, the gatekeeper was taken down for good and I got another draw. **(Jamie 1800/Drummond 2000)**

Breaker's probably not strong enough to take out his other monster, but I need to know what it is. Plus, it might have an effect when it's specifically flip summoned and not just flipped from an attack. "Breaker, attack."

The other set monster turned out to be **Gear Golem the Moving Fortress (800/2200)** , a copper apparatus adorned with spikes. My crimson warrior was blown back, and I paid for my decision. **(Jamie 1200/Drummond 2000)**

"Mister Lancaster, do you remember how I gave you grief for playing stall cards like Marshmallon during the entrance exam?" Vector bantered.

"It was very annoying."

"Well, I only said that because I play an even more defensive deck than that, so it was just a bit of self-referential humor. Besides, you acquitted yourself well. I'm interested to see how this duel will conclude now that the shoe is on the other foot. Now, I'll start things off by playing **Smashing Ground** , destroying whichever of your monsters has the highest defense value." My Airknight Parshath was crushed unceremoniously by a boulder as he spoke, which was rather darkly comedic in its own right.

"Now, I'll play my own **Foolish Burial**. After that, I'll summon my greatest monster! By banishing every rock type monster in my graveyard, totaling five, I can special summon **Megarock Dragon (?/?)**!"

Stones of varying size rose into the air, coalescing to form an enormous dragon. Of course, it had to be a dragon, every boss monster in this damn game was a dragon, even in archetypes that otherwise had nothing to do with them. Hell, there are so many dragons that later on they added the Wyrm type, which was a type essentially reserved for weird dragon monsters. But I digress. "Since you have five rocks banished, that's 3500 attack points, right?"

"Ah, I see you're familiar with that card's effect. Yeah, you're right. 3500 is more than enough to end this duel, but I know better to rush in against you of all people. This bad boy is mainly for protecting my life points. Instead, I'm going to bypass your monsters with Gear Golem the Moving Fortress. By paying 800 life points, I can attack you directly!" The bronze tank launched a red laser at me from its eyes. I grimaced as my life points entered the red zone. "That's it for my turn." The teacher yawned. **(Jamie 400/Drummond 1200)**

Shoot, he's got enough life for one more attack too, which is all he needs. However, I also have Magic Cylinder and Shrink face-down, so I can at least use those if I absolutely need to. Of course, he also has two face-downs. This next draw would have to be good.

Alright, I can work with that. "I banish Don Zaloog and Airknight Parshath from my graveyard to special summon the honorable knight of the dawn, **Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning (3000/2500)!** " The golden knight descended from the sky and landed by my side, his blade already drawn.

"Wow…even I have to admit that is an impressive card." Drummond whistled.

"Yeah, you sound positively ecstatic." I said sarcastically.

"Well, I'm not too excited about it being used on me…but it'll take more than that to break my rock monsters down." He replied with a resolve that I wouldn't have expected out of him.

"We'll see. Sorry to screw over your big boss monster like this, but I'm sending your Megarock Dragon to the next dimension! My Black Luster Soldier's effect activates!" With a swing of the sword, Black Luster Soldier opened a portal to a different plane of existence, into which the rock dragon was decomposed.

"Really, the next dimension? Why couldn't you just say killed, or even banished?" Drummond asked blithely, unbothered by the fact that his strongest monster was just wiped.

"Uh, it sounded cool in my head. Anyways, I'll attack your Gear Golem the Moving Fortress with Breaker now!" The spell-slinging knight took a stab at the machine with his thin saber.

"Activate reverse card, **Book of Moon**! This lets me flip a monster on the field into face-down defense mode, and I'll choose my golem." I was forced to call off my attack for the time being. He would be able to swing for game next turn with his Gear Golem's effect, since he had the life to spare. Of course, I had a Magic Cylinder set in case he tried to do that. Our defenses were thoroughly entrenched at this point, it was just a matter of who drew the right card at the right time.

"Okay, I'll set a monster and call it a turn." Marshmallon was lurking in the background just in case he somehow dealt with everything else on the field. I doubted he had a monster that dealt piercing damage.

"Ugh, I'm getting a bit tired of this…and as much as I'd like to go in for the finisher, I know that you have some backrow waiting. I'll set a monster and end my turn." The professor finished with a bored expression.

I had to laugh. "You know, for someone who doesn't like to duel, you're giving me a really tough match. Thanks for agreeing to this."

"Thank you, mister Lancaster. It's all part of the job description. Now let's hurry this along, I've got essays to grade later tonight." His droll response only made me laugh more. In a world where practically every named character got fired up about dueling, this guy was a total anomaly.

"Alright, let's see how your defenses hold up now." Sadly, my next draw was a Book of Moon of my own, a very dead card in this matchup. Still, I had enough on board to go for game. He has one set card, which he chose not to activate the last couple of times I attacked. Time to go in.

"Black Luster Soldier, attack the face-down Gear Golem!" After a tense moment, the attack went through. My knight sliced and diced the machine down to scrap metal before turning his eyes on his other set monster. "Using his effect, my knight will launch his second attack!"

However, the Black Luster Soldier's sword was stopped, unable to swipe through its target. The skeleton of a thick-headed dinosaur held off the blade with its dense skull. "My set monster is **Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo (1200/1300)**! When it is flipped face-up all specially summoned monsters are instantly destroyed! Sorry to screw over your big boss monster like this." Drummond echoed my own words from earlier as my soldier crumbled like an old statue. At the same time, his monster was destroyed as well.

"Finally, a clear field! Breaker, attack directly for game!" The wizard's cape flapped in the wind as he leapt towards Drummond's slim frame. For the first time all duel, he actually looked a bit worried.

"I activate my trap card, **Release from Stone**! This lets me special summon a banished rock monster. I'll bring back Golem Sentry!" The gatekeeper burst out of the ground and blocked Breaker's strike with his own weapon. My warrior was forced back, and I had to end my battle phase.

Shoot, I almost made it through this time. And without my Black Luster Soldier, I'm not sure I'll be able to swing over his monsters. This duel was getting annoying, to be sure.

"You're bloody tenacious, I'll give you that. There's no way I can win in a straight up fight." A small smile worked its way up Drummond's face. "So I won't. I activate **Shield & Sword** to switch the attack and defense values of every face-up monster on the field. Golem Sentry now has 1800 attack and Breaker is reduced to 1000."

I gulped. This was fine, I still had the Magic Cylinder in the back.

"Alright, I'm launching an attack!" The door monster lumbered forward, raising its axe high. Breaker raised his shield in preparation, counting on something coming to his aid.

"Perfect! I activate my-" I began.

"During the battle phase, I activate a quick-play spell from my hand! Go, **Anti-Magic Arrows**! For the rest of the turn, spells and traps cannot be activated, letting my attack go through."

A volley of sharp silver arrows rained from the sky, pinning my face-down cards and rendering them utterly useless. The Golem Sentry's axe sliced through my monster, ending the duel unceremoniously. **(Jamie 0/Drummond 1200)**

"Damn it!" I muttered the curse as the holograms faded. Man, today was only getting more and more messed up. Maybe I shouldn't go fishing – with the way things have been going lately, I wouldn't get a nibble!

"It was a good game, mister Lancaster. You were just having an off day, that's all." The bespectacled man said with a wink. I grumbled, but this was an off day. Like a fucking really off day.

"I guess everybody drops a game now and then. Thanks for letting me use this." I took off the duel disk and handed it to him. "Maybe we can have a rematch some other time. I'll see you tomorrow, professor." I said hastily while making to grab my gear.

He regarded me curiously, adjusting his tie quickly. "Everyone drops a game now and then, true. But there is a lesson in every defeat. And life never ceases to teach. It is only when we refuse to listen that we grow still, and die."

I gave him a strange look. "Well, you had the right cards at the right time, and I didn't. What should I learn from this?" I asked, not to be impudent, but out of genuine curiosity.

"Just think about it. I know that you are discouraged by girl troubles or whatever is actually bothering you. But life is all about struggle, and these are but mere tests on your path to greatness. Mistakes happen to us all." The hipster professor smiled.

"Yeah…I've made a lot of mistakes in my life." I murmured.

"Surely not that many, you're still quite young."

"I suppose you're right."

"You'll do just fine, Jamie. You have the tenacity and grit to do whatever it is you want to do in life. We've all only got one shot, so might as well make it count, right?" Drummond said nothing else, simply going on his way and leaving me to go fish.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

I fished until it was good and dark outside, and sure enough, I caught nothing. "Looks like Drummond's taking over as the cryptic mentor figure now that Banner's gone." I grumbled as I finally decided to return to the dorm.

But he did have a point. I couldn't be expected to do everything right, even with my knowledge of canon. What did it even mean to do everything right? I definitely didn't do everything right in my first life, that's for sure. But I did have a chance to make this second life the best it could possibly be. Could I trust others with this secret? I couldn't be sure. For now, if we make it through the events of canon and everyone's still alive and kicking, that's a victory. For now, that is my purpose. Once everything is said and done, I can decide what I really want to do…maybe this summer internship at Kaibacorp will help me decide that, if I get accepted. Maybe I could still be friends with Erin too. Anything more…that might be a can of worms not worth opening. I just need to follow my instincts and learn from my mistakes like teach said. I was starting to feel like my usual self somewhat again.

Sleep eluded me that night, and as it was a particularly cool night, I left the windows open in my room. In the pale blue moonlight, I watched the curtains shimmer in the breeze from beneath the covers, thinking about anything and everything. I did doze off eventually, but it was a restless sleep, and I soon woke up having to take a quick piss.

Imagine my shock when I walk out of the bathroom and see an enormous vampire bat perched on the sill. The beast was enormous, easily taking up the entire window frame with its huge webbed wings. Glowing red eyes gazed dispassionately on me. So much for a break before the next Shadow Rider showed up.

Clad in only a pair of polka dot boxer shorts, I suddenly wished I was packing heat. My pure astonishment only increased as the giant bat morphed and changed shape. Did you ever read those Animorphs books as a kid? Yeah. I gripped the spirit key around my neck.

The bat shrank in size and took the form of a woman with long, flowing green hair of an unusually light shade. Her skin was pale as milk, offset by crimson lipstick and cold brown eyes. A frankly flawless body was contained in a slinky dress the color of red wine. A bronze choker engraved with the eye of Wdjat hung on her neck. Ah, so this must be Camula of the Seven Stars.

"Well well, I didn't expect a nighttime visit from you lot, and especially so soon. How's it going, Camula?" I yawned.

She raised a thin eyebrow in confusion. "How do you know my name?"

"I know everything." I responded automatically.

"Really?" she drawled in a heavy Eastern European accent. "Then what am I thinking about right now?"

"You were thinking about getting the hell out of here and letting me go back to sleep. I know you vampires don't like the daytime, but I have class at 8:30 in the morning tomorrow so…maybe some other time." I snarked.

"Wrong. I was actually thinking about taking that key of yours…and maybe more than that." She said sibilantly. "And how do you know that I'm a vampire?"

"No offense, but it is a bit obvious from the whole "transforming into a giant bat" thing. Although I don't remember the Twilight vampires being able to do that. Also, your fangs are showing." These villains were quite fun to banter with! At least I could be somewhat honest with them.

"Green eyes, brown hair, lame sense of humor, and a spirit key. There's no doubt about it, you're Jamie Lancaster. I've finally found my target." She said with a sexy smirk. Alright Jamie, focus!

"So it seems you're not gonna leave me alone. How did you find my room from the outside of the building anyways?" I asked, slowly moving towards the dresser without taking my eyes off of her.

"Don't worry about that." Camula brushed the question off.

"You had to systematically look in every window in the dorm, didn't you? How long did that take?" I grabbed my duel disk and placed my Melodious cards in the main deck slot. "Actually, don't answer that. Let's just get down to business. And I don't mean sex. Not a fan of biting."

"You overestimate your looks nearly as much as you overestimate you dueling ability."

"Then why are you looking at me like I'm a piece of meat?"

She smirked. "You can play with words, true, but you will not defeat me in a game of cards. I have eyes and ears all over this island, and I saw today that you lost to a history professor who doesn't even like to duel."

I chuckled, looking at my real deck. "You're right. I must be a complete joke. Killing me should be an easy task."

"Don't jump to conclusions, boy. Whether or not I will kill you remains to be seen. My master has ordered me to bring you to him. He merely wishes to speak with you." She purred.

"Wait, what?" That threw me for a loop. What would Kagemaru have to say to me and not the others?

"You can reserve your questions for him. Surely you wouldn't mind a little nighttime intrigue with me? I am an escort for you." Camula said with sultry tone.

"Yes, but not that kind of escort, right?"

"It is unwise to provoke me. I have information on every card you've ever played, thanks to my bats. You're an open book. Now be quiet and come with me. My master has a generous offer for you. Tonight may be a pleasurable one for you yet…but perhaps not. If you are so good with words, you will make the right choice."

So, she knows about every card I've ever played, huh? Well, what about the ones I haven't played? That might come as a bit of a nasty shock. Without an audience, I'll be able to play my Melodious cards without issue. I'll defeat Camula and Kagemaru in one fell swoop.

"You're right, I could hardly refuse a lady like yourself. You don't mind if I get dressed first, do you?" I asked casually.

"Hmm, if you insist." She demurred. I had to admit, she would be overwhelming to an actual teenage boy. I imagine none except Zane, who was a master at keeping his cool, and Jaden, who was just weird, could properly resist her charms. There's always something about vampires, I tell ya. No wonder so many romance novels use em. Sadly, the only action I was going to get tonight involved playing a card game. Of course, I had no interest in getting bitten either, so maybe it was for the best.

What sort of offer could Kagemaru have for me? Did he know the truth? And if so, how? I put on a tight black tee, some dark grey joggers, and white sneakers. The Melodious cards were encased in gold sleeves and ready to roll.

"Let's see where the night takes us."

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. This update is long af, I realize. But as it's a busy time of year rn and updates being infrequent as a result, I'm trying to include more content in the chapters when they are ready to roll. If this chapter was too long, let me know, it's valuable feedback.**

 **I'm sure some people noticed, but I definitely based Adam's YT channel off of SimplyUnlucky. It's all in good jest though, that guy is very funny.**

 **Can't wait to write more Kaiba, he's a fountain of memes. Fair warning, parts of his characterization are based off films like Wolf of Wall Street and American Psycho, as well as abridged. He's gonna be wild in this fic, dude, I can't wait. I'm certainly not going to bash him of course, but some of his character traits may be overblown for the sake of humor, that's all.**

 **Otherwise, Jamie and Erin are putting a bit of distance between each other. She feels that he does not trust her and that he is generally mysterious to the point of being shady. He feels that telling the truth would permanently alienate him from the others. Hopefully you can see both points of view there, I didn't want to present one side as being entirely right and the other as being entirely wrong. The exchange put Jamie in emo mode for a bit, but dueling with Professor Drummond made him feel better, or to be more accurate it put the problem out of his mind for the moment.**

 **Jamie losing to Drummond may seem a bit odd considering Drummond is not passionate about the game, but the professor does know how to play well, and no one has a 100% win rate. That's the interesting thing about this verse compared to something like Bleach for example - there, the power system is a clear hierarchy, like for example there is no way Hitsugaya could ever beat someone like Aizen. In Yugioh however, since both "fighters" are playing a game, anyone could theoretically beat anyone with the exception of certain hard counter matchups like an anti-fusion deck vs Jaden for example. It makes the duels a bit more unpredictable, although sometimes I doubt how exciting they are for readers.**

 **How did Terra Firma find its way to Jaden? What does Kagemaru want with Jamie? Will we finally see the Melodious cards in action? Find out on the next exciting episode of State of the Meta!**


	19. Rondo of Blood

Chapter 19: Rondo of Blood

"Grab hold of me. My shadow charm gives me power over all sorts of gates and doorways. I will open a path for us to the dominion of the Shadow Riders." Camula's tongue slid past her lips, a pink serpent searching for prey. She wouldn't intimidate me. These guys are playing _my_ game, and I haven't put all my cards on the table yet.

"Cool, so is this like Instant Transmission where I can just place a hand on your shoulder, or…?" I asked, scratching my head.

"What is Instant Transmission?" She asked quizzically.

"What, you never read Dragon Ball? Have you been living under a rock?" I asked facetiously, knowing that wasn't far from the truth.

"More like a coffin. I'm afraid I've been dead until recently, so I am not familiar with what sort of dreck passes as "art" in the modern landscape. Anyways, the process requires us to hold hands." She snickered.

"Oh, for fuck's sake." My discomfort made her laugh.

"This should be par for the course for a harem protagonist, right?" Camula cackled cruelly, putting her fangs on full display. At my growl of anger, she continued with, "Yes, that's right, we have intel on everything about you key keepers, even down to the smallest quirks."

Everything, she says. Ha! I grabbed her hand. It was icy cold, like a steel pole in winter. Her nails dug painfully into my palm. Suddenly, my bedroom melted and streamed into a neverending river of neon colors. I felt a distinct pressure, as though were in an elevator going sideways. A loud whooshing sound overwhelmed my ears, and just as it was becoming unbearable, we arrived at our destination.

I yelled ungracefully as I crashed through a canopy onto an impossibly soft bed. Meanwhile, Camula landed on her feet gracefully. My eyes flit about, taking in information as quickly as possible. This was a bedroom, the only light coming from rose-scented candles at the edges of the room. The place smelled good – too good, as though the smell was masking something…horrible.

"So, any reason why we had to teleport here in particular?" I grumbled.

"Well," She bit her lip, eyeing me like a snack. No, like an actual snack. Like one you literally devour. "I just want to see if I can make you squirm."

"Um…kay. So anyways, let's go see your boss." I jumped off the bed hastily.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like a drink?" Suddenly, she held a glass of wine her hand, downing it in one gulp.

"I'm good, thanks."

Saying nothing, she sashayed past me and led me out of the bedroom and into a hallway. Blue moonlight beamed through tall windows. Suits of armor lined the walls, and at any moment I feared they would come to life and swing their axes at me.

The castle we were in was truly enormous – after ten minutes of walking, we descended a spiral staircase to the basement. As we went further and further down, the aesthetic shifted from middle ages to cyberpunk, cables and wires streaming up the walls like veins.

Finally, we reached the basement, which was shrouded in almost total darkness but for the technicolor electric light coursing through the wires all around us. I kept my eyes trained on Camula, fearing that she would try and bite me at any second. It definitely wasn't because of the way that dress hugged and accentuated her curves, no sir!

The hallway was empty, with doors on both sides of the wall leading to who knows where. Once or twice, I could have sworn I heard whispers from behind those doors, but they were unintelligible. Cold stone floors mitigated the heat emitted by the machinery, further highlighting the anachronistic nature of the setting. Okay, the voices were getting louder! In what I thought was a subtle fashion, I edged closer to one of the doors.

"Help," I had to strain, but I managed to make out that much from behind the door. "Help!" A dry voice cracked. I could scarcely imagine what lurked behind that thin barrier of wood and metal. As soon as my hand reached out to the knob, however, I was paralyzed on the spot.

Camula's sharp index fingernail dug into my chin. Effortlessly, she turned my head from the door to her face, only inches from my own.

"My master told me not to tarry, so I can't let you simply wander off. Besides, you know what they say… _curiosity killed the cat_." Her nail drew blood, and she licked it off her finger as she drew back.

"What happened to your bravado, boy? I cannot kill you until your spirit key has been taken, so you have nothing to worry about, right?" She cackled, her laughter echoing off the walls as she savored the taste of my blood. "Then again, perhaps _turning_ you would be a more proper punishment for your insolence. Then you would never again mock the vampires!"

I wiped the blood from my chin with the back of my hand. I had to admit, she was pretty good at the whole psychological warfare thing. My heart was beating a mile a minute from a potent combo of fear and arousal, but confidence in my deck ultimately allowed me to hold on to my composure…as long as I didn't think too hard about what lay behind those doors. Were people being tortured in there? Or worse?

"Listen Camula, spending eternity with you as a vampire sounds cool and all, but I'm looking for a nice girl right now. Besides, green hair's not my thing. I prefer blondes. Although I do have to wonder if such a shade is natural…" I said with a crude smirk.

"I suppose a boy like you wouldn't fear death, would you?" Camula replied with a knowing smile.

"What did you say?!" The question pierced me. How do they know?!

"Hurry along." She beckoned. "Depending on how things proceed, you may become intimately familiar with what lays beyond those doors…"

And that told me pretty much everything I needed to know. We started walking again with a quickened pace. Oh yes, Yu-Gi-Oh GX, a children's cartoon about card game boarding school! Well isn't this as fucking whimsical as it gets. As though on cue, an image of Yubel appeared in my mind. _"Actually, things are going to get much more fun down the road…as far as psychosexual head cases go, that one pretty much takes the cake."_ Sorry Camula, looks like you're getting the sliver medal in that regard, although then again vampires and silver don't mix from what I hear. Or is that werewolves?

The cables converged on a single point at the end of the hallway. A spider-like chassis held a cylindrical tank in which an incredibly decrepit old man floated in Bacta-esque liquid. His mouth was covered by a mechanical respirator, and snow-white hair cascaded from his head like a waterfall. A ring emblazoned with the Eye of Horus was subtly affixed to his right ring finger. Camula took a knee, gracefully bowing before the man despite his obvious infirmaries.

"Ah, there you are." The voice was a kindly old grandfather's, filtered by layers of cybernetics. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me. My name is Kagemaru."

I don't think I had much of a choice, but at least he was upholding the niceties. "You're very welcome."

"You have done well bringing Jamie Lancaster to me, Camula. I have long suspected he would be one of the more…amenable key holders." He said cryptically. The servant rose, standing back two paces and awaiting her master's next order.

"Amenable in what regard?" I asked with a light air.

"Well, you have a certain element in common with the rest of the Shadow Riders. You have been touched by death." He said calmly, and my eyes widened.

"I'm not entirely sure what you're suggesting."

"I'm entirely sure you're entirely sure what I am suggesting. After a fashion, I have known it since the beginning of the school year. You see, the transcripts from your middle school days paint a startlingly different picture than your current high school ones. Surely, you'll recall how in middle school you were very fond of using dragon type monsters? And yet you completely changed your deck right before the entrance exam, a duel of extreme importance to your future." Kagemaru started off.

"Well, the old deck wasn't cutting it, and I picked up some new cards right before the test." I lied quickly.

"Oh, I see. I'm sure you also have an explanation for your grades suddenly going from average to top of the class." Kagemaru pressed.

"Uh, I got my life priorities in order and started studying more."

"Well that's very admirable."

"Thank you." A long silence ensued. Camula watched the verbal volley with great interest.

"Since you have an answer for everything, why don't you tell me why you were so certain that Lyman Banner was a Shadow Rider, despite having only one piece of extremely tangential evidence to even hint at the idea." Shoot, this guy was pretty sharp. If the whole immortality thing works out for him, he should consider going into prosecution.

"Are you kidding me? That guy was shifty from day one. Always lurking about with that damned cat of his. Not to mention his eyes were always closed and he smiled all the time. I don't know if you guys have ever read Bleach, but that's pretty much the hallmark of a suspicious villain with ambiguous motivations." I blather. What is with me and manga references all of the sudden?

"But that doesn't explain how you actually knew that he was a Shadow Rider in particular." Kagemaru said calmly.

"Umm…uh…I overheard you speaking to him over a Skype call."

"I have never spoken with Lyman Banner over Skype. We would never use such an open and easily overheard method of communication." Kagemaru smoothly parried. "You're not very good at this, are you?"

"Well, the way Camula's staring at me is kinda freaking me out. Plus, I'm pretty sure you guys are torturing people down here."

"So, Jamie, I'm also curious about the dark duel energy that seemingly emanates from your being at all times. Perhaps the Gentle Darkness was the entity that transmigrated your soul to this dimension…" Kagemaru said.

"More baseless speculation." Although that was really as plausible an explanation as any. Did the Gentle Darkness bring me into this world? And if so, why?

"This conversation isn't really going the way I thought it would, so I might as well get to the point. You have an aura of death around you, regardless of whether you are actually a reincarnation of someone from another dimension or not. All of my Shadow Riders have been brought back from the dead, and I find myself with some positions open. You are one of the finest duelists at Central Academy – I want you to become a Shadow Rider." Kagemaru declared ominously. I could practically hear Camula licking her lips in the background.

My eyes narrowed. "Why should I accept this offer? You guys want to destroy the island and kill us all! You would step over our corpses just to have immortality! I could hardly think of a more selfish, destructive cause."

"Then why did you reincarnate into this world?"

"I didn't choose to be brought here." Was my firm response. I really wish I knew the reason why. There were probably people who wanted to live more than I did. People who _deserved_ to live more than I did. But thinking any more on this was a waste of time – I never arrived at any answer no matter how hard I thought about it.

"Ok, Lancaster, if that is your real name. So, you say you didn't choose to be brought here? Who's to say that when you die again, you won't reincarnate into yet another timeline? The universe sees you as nothing more than a plaything. Immortality would at least allow you some control over your fate." He droned on.

"Too bad that I would have to kill my friends and be your slave for any of that to happen!" I roared.

"Camula is not my slave. Isn't that right, Camula?"

"You are correct as always, my master." Camula replied quickly and obediently.

Oh, very convincing! He didn't even bother denying the fact that I would have to kill the other key holders. Sadly, Kagemaru seemed to be operating on the idea that I willingly reincarnated into this realm because I wanted immortality. Sorry buddy, I didn't have that kind of power. Immortality has obvious flaws anyways. I had already lost all of my bonds from my previous life. If I live forever, then I will simply create and lose bonds…forever.

"Do not let your peers hold back your true potential. None of them could ever understand the real you…" Kagemaru sneakily insinuated.

"Well, you've got me interested, you sly old so-and-so. So, what are the benefits of being a Shadow Rider? Does it come with a dental plan?" The words "dental plan" echoed endlessly down the hallway as I spoke.

"Well, I'm sure we could negotiate something-"Kagemaru began.

"Just kidding. Gotta give you credit for trying and all, but I reject your offer. I do not wish for immortality, and I do not wish to betray my friends either." I felt the temperature drop as Camula's eyes bored into the back of my head.

After a long staredown, Kagemaru sighed mechanically. "Well, that's really too bad. Since you have a spirit key, this really is a "with us or against us" situation."

"Yeah, it's a real shame." I activated my duel disk.

"You see, we really do have need of skilled duelists in our ranks. So, if you will not join willingly, you will simply be made to join us." Kagemaru threatened.

"You're the leader of the Shadow Riders. Duel me. We can end this here and now." Without the Sacred Beasts, taking this guy down should be well within the realm of possibility. And without their boss, the other assassins should scatter like sheep.

Sadly, he wasn't going to rise to the bait. "No. Camula will more than enough to handle you. And once your spirit key is taken, you will join us as a vampire."

"Suit yourself." I turned to face Camula, who eyed me with literal bloodlust. "Ladies first then."

"Are you sure you really sure you want to do this? Have you forgotten that I know your deck?" Camula seemingly offered a way out to me, but it was merely a misdirection and we both knew it. From the start, I knew that I would be fighting my way out of here.

" _Why should I trust you? You don't even believe in your cards!"_ I remembered Erin saying. I still wasn't sure what that meant, but I believed in this deck's ability to stomp these Shadow Riders. Thinking of her callous words made the memories rush forth.

" _You are too shortsighted to be a worthy foe for me…"_ Banner had said.

" _Life never ceases to teach. It is only when we cease to listen that we grow still, and die."_ Professor Drummond's words from the previous afternoon floated to the top of my mind.

" _The journey has not ended. There are still new plateaus to reach."_ I recalled Zane saying.

" _I want to be strong enough to fight alongside you."_ I remembered Alexis confessing on the last day of term. I opened my eyes.

"There are people I can't let down. Today, I use these cards not for the sake of pride, but to protect them."

Camula and I took our places on opposite ends of the hallway while Kagemaru dispassionately observed from inside his little Star Wars medical tank. Something told me he wasn't done trying to recruit me to his side. But I'll deal with that when I win.

"I think it's time for a little karaoke!"

"The hell's a karaoke?" Camula asked in confusion as we crossed the gap to roshambo.

"You'll find out." Since she knew that I always picked rock, I switched it up and chose scissors this time. She took the bait, picking paper. Grumbling, we returned to our spaces. The torches on the walls casted long shadows, their flickering the only noise.

"I will take the first turn." Let's hope I start things off on the right note. Get it, note? Okay I'll stop. Oh baby, this starting hand was good.

"I activate the spell card **Ostinato**."

"You play what?" Camula sputtered in shock.

Well, it seems the newer cards display on the duel disks after all. But how? Perhaps the duel of darkness was why these cards could be used. Either way, I wasn't complaining.

"Sorry, but you guys don't exactly know everything about me. It's a good thing no one else is around, else I wouldn't be able to use these cards without raising suspicion. You think you have me on the ropes…well have I got a surprise for you! By sending two monsters from my hand or deck, I can fusion summon a Melodious monster!"

"What in the name of Armityle is going on here?!" Kagemaru cursed, causing bubbles to flow from his respirator.

"You and your kind are finished! The moment to reveal my true power is here at last!" As I looked upon Camula, I thought of the other Shadow Riders, and the Society of Light, and Yubel, and every other evil that existed in this world. Evil that I would take down with my own two hands, if needs be.

I fuse together Mozarta the Melodious Maestra and Aria the Melodious Diva to summon forth my ultimate monster, the one that will sing you from this world to the next! Come forth, **Bloom Diva The Melodious Choir (1000/2000)**!"

The hall exploded in a burst of color and music, ominous Latin chanting filling our ears. I wonder if there was a way to adjust the kind of music the monsters played. It would be pretty sweet to blast some 80's rock in the faces of my enemies from time to time. Oh come on, like you wouldn't do it to given the opportunity! In the epicenter of the light was a little girl in a cute frilly dress styled after rose petals. A bright smile lit up her innocent features. Man, this was weird. Kinda makes me wish I had some generic dragons or something, but whatever. Wait, did she just wink at me?

Camula and Kagemaru burst into outright laughter. "Oh my, so this is your ultimate monster! A little choir girl! That has to be the most nonthreatening thing I've ever laid eyes upon!" The vampire cackled as the old man wheezed in the background.

"S-Shut up! These cards are super strong, just wait and see!" I stammered, feeling an awful lot like Syrus, as much as it shamed me to admit it.

"Hohohohoho, are these little girls part of your harem as well? Talk about degeneracy!" Alright, now the bitch was going too far.

"This monster cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects." That shut them up promptly. "I also take no battle damage from attacks involving this card."

"…. what?" Camula gaped. "There's no way a card that powerful could ever be printed!"

"Well, that certainly confirms my theory. A card that powerful could only come from the future. And to fusion summon without the use of Polymerization! Interesting…" Kagemaru wondered, not seeming very concerned about the livelihood of his servant.

"And since I have a Melodious monster on the field, I can special summon **Canon the Melodious Diva (1400/2000)** from my hand in defense mode." A curvy woman with a chock of blue hair and a masquerade ball mask arrived, giving me a saucy grin as more classical music played. Wait, why are they smiling at me?

"Uh…and for my normal summon, I'll summon **Opera the Melodious Diva (2300/1000)**." A tiny pink-haired fairy buzzed by my ear before taking the field as well. The card was absurdly strong for a level 4 monster, but it was unable to attack the turn it was normal summoned. Since this was a first turn, this drawback ended up being a distinction without a difference. Camula's jaw was about to hit the floor.

"Wait a minute, did you just summon a bunch of monsters in one turn?" She questioned.

"Yeah, so?" I grinned.

"That's against the rules, isn't it?" She asked further.

"Actually, there are several situations in which summoning multiple monsters at once can be considered totally legal in this game. And this just so happens to be one of those situations." I explained facetiously.

"This is all kinds of wrong!" She held her head in her hands, despairing.

Haha, if I XYZ summoned with Opera and Canon right now, she would probably faint. This deck had a few Exceed monsters in it, mainly Rank 4 toolbox cards like Utopia the Lightning and Starliege. Regardless of the effects of this shadow game, however, I was pretty damn sure that I wouldn't be able to play them in this universe. Summoning different kinds of extra deck monsters seemed to be a technique of some kind in the Yugiverse. If Arc-V was anything to go by it could take like 20 episodes to learn a new summoning technique. I don't get what's so damn hard about having two monsters of the same level on the field and overlaying them, or adding two monster's levels together, but apparently it's something you need work at for days in this universe. I had no idea how I could practice that without a partner, and I didn't want to try it here. For now, fusion summoning would be sufficient.

"I set a card and end my turn. Normally, the effect of Ostinato would destroy my fusion monster, but Bloom Diva's got the whole "can't be destroyed by anything" effect going on, so…good luck!" I waved.

"Master…what am I supposed to do?" Camula looked to Kagemaru for some semblance of guidance but found little.

"Um…have you tried believing in yourself? Or perhaps putting your faith in the heart of the cards?" He suggested lamely.

''He's right! There has to be some way I can win! I am a member of the great Vampire clan! I will achieve victory, key keeper! My draw!" Her determination in the face of overwhelming odds was admirable. In fact, it rather gave the appearance that she was the hero and I was the villain – if you think that torturing people and drinking their blood is morally equivalent to using an overpowered deck of trading cards that is.

"I play **Allure of Darkness** , letting me draw two cards at the cost of banishing a dark monster from my hand." She feverishly looked over her cards, trying to find a way out. "I set a monster and two cards face-down to end my turn! Now go!" Her confidence had evaporated in the face of the unknown, just as all of ours does.

I drew. "I will attack with Opera." I declared, not afraid of her face-downs. A wave of sound emerged from the little pixie's palms, blowing away Camula's face-down monster, **Vampire Sorcerer (1500/1500).** In the brief period I saw it, it had a dark violet cloak and hat, along with the requisite vampiric features.

"When Vampire Sorcerer is destroyed, I can add a dark Vampire monster from deck to hand, and I choose Vampire Lord!" Camula hastily grabbed the card from her deck.

"Very well. Bloom Diva and Canon, play some beats!" The two ladies put their power together and played a song.

"~WE'RE BREAKIN' FREE, SOARIN', FLYIN', THERE'S NOT A STAR IN HEAVEN THAT WE CAN'T REACH~"

What the Nani?! This can't be fucking real! Why on earth are they playing High School Musical songs? No, play something cool damnit! Like some Amaranthe or something! Seriously, my opponents are already going to doubt my masculinity for playing Melodious Divas to begin with, this was just going to drive the nail into the coffin. Heh, coffin.

The force from Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens' autotuned duet knocked Camula off of her feet and sent her colliding with the wall. **(Jamie 4000/Camula 1600)**

Slumping to the floor, it took the vampire a few moments to rise again as her master dispassionately watched on.

"Uh, listen, that's not my playlist, ok? This must be their default or something. Not that I necessarily have a bone with pick with High School Musical, but it's not exactly something you want to play in the middle of a fight…" I quickly explained while my monsters giggled at my expense. Oh, so they were playing a prank on me, huh? Well I'll get back at them after this! Wait a minute, why in the hell are they giggling? They're just holograms, not duel monster spirits…right? I thought I didn't have the ability to see spirits, what the frig is going on here?

"What the frig is going here?! I was sure that my deck could defeat any key keeper!" The usual villainous whinging ensued from Camula. I was amused that she also says what the frig, though.

"Indeed, that he was keeping a secret of this magnitude is astonishing. I wonder if your friends would still accept you if they knew the depth of your deception." Kagemaru's poisonous words were starting to piss me off. "And for Uria's sake, turn down that bloody children's music."

"Not telling someone something isn't the same thing as lying, dillweed." I finally turned to address him as Camula regained her composure. "And I'll turn down the children's music if I bloody well please!" I on the other hand didn't have much in the way of composure to begin with.

"I'm sure your familiar with the various degrees of lying, Jamie." Was his tepid response.

I growled. "You keep this up, and I'm gonna start fucking with your cords and cables."

He stopped talking after that, as if the very notion of dealing with a conflict without dueling ever occurred to him.

"Grr…it's my turn!" Camula brushed her hair back behind her ear, so it wouldn't get in the way. Her expression had taken a hard turn for the ugly, her tongue hanging out menacingly and her features darkened by hatred. No longer gorgeous and seductive, her outward appearance now reflected the evil within. Despite her rage, I remained calm.

"By banishing Vampire Sorcerer from my graveyard, I can summon a Vampire monster without tributing! And with this ability, I'll summon **Vampire Lord (2000/1500)**!" I recognized the aristocratic monster well, considering I had a copy in my "public" deck. He was a decent card to be sure, but here he had about as much use as Syrus in a basketball game. Don't look at me like that, it's true! I'm not sure the kid's even four feet tall.

"Next, I'll activate my trap card, **Vampire Takeover**! Since I have no field spell and all monsters I control are Zombie type, I can activate the field spell **Vampire Kingdom** directly from my deck!" She would normally be able to summon a Dark Vampire monster from her graveyard, but she has none so...yeah.

By the magic of the field card, we found ourselves transported from the castle dungeons to a sleepy village in the dead of night. At the top of a hill, I saw the castle that we were just in a moment ago. In the sky, a crimson moon bathed us in dull red light.

"Now, I play the spell **Overpowering Eye**!" My smug dismissal of her monster was in itself dismissed as the Vampire Lord gave me a paralyzing stare. My girls were frozen as well. "I may not be able to defeat your monsters, but that does not mean this duel is over, key keeper! With this spell, one of my zombie monsters with 2000 or less attack points can strike directly this turn."

In a flash, the Vampire Lord rushed past my paralyzed idols, and was upon me. In a swift motion, he sunk his fangs into my neck, and I screamed. As soon as he withdrew, I felt twin trickles of blood down my neck. "And when my field spell is active, zombie monsters gain 500 attack points during damage calculation!" She cackled. **(Jamie 1500/Camula 1600)**

I wiped away the blood with my hand, staining my fingers red. "So, awkward question, this isn't gonna turn me into an actual vampire, right? Cause that would really break the ol' suspension of disbelief." It was a lot easier to be cavalier when it was only my life at stake.

"No, that was merely a taste. The turning will only take place once you are defeated. But this is not the end of your troubles. I saw Vampire Lord in your deck earlier, so I'm sure your familiar with what it does. Send a spell card." She cackled. Silently, I pitched a copy of Polymerization.

"Since a card was sent from your deck to your graveyard, my field spell effect activates! I can send a Dark Vampire from my deck to the graveyard to destroy a card on the field, and I choose your Opera the Melodious Diva!" Camula shrieked as she sent another Vampire Sorcerer. A swarm of bats descended from the sky, zeroing in on my pink-haired singer.

"Not so invincible now, huh?" She laughed prematurely.

The bats sunk their teeth into a dissipating afterimage, missing their target completely. In a flash, Opera appeared behind me, having successfully avoided destruction. "I chain my trap card, **Melodious Illusion**. For the rest of the turn, Opera is unaffected by your spell and trap effects." I said calmly. "I must commend you for your efforts though. The force behind that attack wasn't half bad."

"There must be something I can do…I set a card and end my turn!" She said snappishly. Ah good, she hasn't drawn her Illusion Gate yet then. I don't remember what that card did exactly, but I do remember she was able to turn the tables on Zane with it. Plus, I think your soul is dragged off to hell for eternity if you lose, so that's definitely a drawback.

"Alright, let's wrap this up so I can get back to bed. I draw!" Before I could begin my turn, however, Kagemaru felt the need to interject.

"Tell me one thing, mister Lancaster. Is this the most powerful deck in your time period? Or are there even stronger cards?" He asked, rapt with curiosity. His eyes were wide from within his healing tank.

I looked him dead in the face and grinned viciously. "Not even close."

Camula shook with fear while Kagemaru's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, not even close. If I had the full power of Dragon Rulers, or Spellbooks, or Performapals at my disposal…I could defeat the entirety of the Shadow Riders in the span of an hour." I shrugged. "Sadly, this was the last deck I was using before I got myself stuck in this world…but it'll be more than enough to handle you lot."

"D-did he just say Performapals?!" Camula whimpered. "That sounds ridiculous!"

"Interesting…once you are on our side, we will work on creating these cards for our own use." Kagemaru still didn't seem worried, in spite of everything. I gave him a suspicious glare before returning to the duel at hand.

"I play **Fusion Recovery** , letting me add a Poly from the grave and a monster I used as a fusion material earlier. Mozarta the Melodious Maestra comes back to my hand. Try saying that card's name five times fast!" In the background, my Divas were doing the Carmelldansen dance, undermining my credibility at every turn.

"Now get ready! Because I activate **Polymerization**! Fusing together Mozarta in my hand with Canon the Melodious Diva on the field, I summon **Schuberta the Melodious Maestra (2400/2000)**! And this time, there's gonna be some badass music playing in the background. Got it? Bad. Ass. No Disney bullshit this time, ok?" I practically begged.

"~IF YOU WANNA BE MY LOVER, YOU GOTTA GET WITH MY FRIENDS, MAKE IT LAST FOREVER, FRIENDSHIP NEVER ENDDDDDDDDDSSSSSSS~" The Spice Girls song blasted.

"I want to die." I murmured, feeling the color drain from my face. Maximillion Pegasus was probably having chest pains right now, sensing that somehow, somewhere, his favorite song was playing during a duel.

I wasn't playing attention, but my Maestra struck a pose as she took the field. She was a masked beauty in a voluminous red dress, an unusually sharp conductor's baton her weapon. Bright orange hair flowed like flame down her back, a femme fatale in every sense.

Despite the fact that she had to know her death was drawing near, Camula still cackled at my predicament. "Well, now I know why my seduction efforts weren't working earlier. There's no way a straight man would have such a sugary song as his battle theme! Is that why you shot down that Erin girl earlier today as well?" She hissed insultingly.

"Yeah, laugh it up…" I grinned savagely. "Because like it or not, "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls is going to be your fucking funeral dirge! So, who's the real loser here, huh?"

"It's stlll you!" She replied spitefully.

"I activate Schuberta's effect! During either player's turn, I can banish up to three cards from each of our graveyards and banish them. And she gains 200 attack points for each card banished! I got rid of her Vampire Takeover, Overpowering Eye, and my Melodious Illusion, raising Schuberta to 3000 attack points. Camula had a face-down, but unless it was non-targeting removal, there was little to be done but play her out.

"I attack your Vampire Lord with Bloom Diva!" The sweet singer flew up to the vampire, who merely looked at her with a confused expression.

"What good will that do? Your Bloom Diva won't be destroyed, but nothing will be accomplished!" Camula protested.

"Wrong. I told you that this monster would be the instrument of your death, didn't I? When Bloom Diva attacks a specially summoned monster, that monster is destroyed, and you the difference between the two monsters' attack points as damage." I explained coolly.

The Vampire Lord swung a clawed hand, but the Bloom Diva caught his arm mid-swing, shonen anime style. Placing an open palm in front of the demon's face, she unleashed a wave of sonic energy that completely disintegrated him and sent Camula skidding across the hallway. **(Jamie 1500/Camula 600)**

The force of the attack was so great that it caused the very foundations of the castle to weaken. The vision of the field spell flickered and vanished – it was still active, though. I heard lurching sounds from above – definitely a bad sign, especially since were in the basement. Kagemaru seemed to recognize the danger, and the spider-like apparatus beneath his tank activated. Shit! There's no way I can let him escape. Luckily, this duel was only one attack away from being over.

" _Run."_ I heard a feminine voice that was not Camula's say. Not questioning it, I sprinted down the hall towards the staircase I had originally entered from. Sure enough, the place was falling apart all around us. Where I had been standing a few moments was now a pile of rubble from the collapsed ceiling. The fallen stones separated Camula and I from Kagemaru – I couldn't see if he had managed to escape or not. Somehow, Camula managed to sense that the ceiling was about to give way and moved accordingly, despite her injuries. All of this was happening while the damn Spice Girls song played in the background, giving the situation a surreal vibe.

Camula panted for breath, holding one hand against the wall for stability. My back was to the stairwell, while she stood in what seemed to be the last remaining stable section of the hall. Our monsters had caught up with us, obviously unharmed by the falling rubble.

"Unbelievable…I've never seen duel energy cause this much collateral damage!" She hissed, clutching her side in pain. I watched warily, prepared to call the final attack at any moment. My monsters did the same, waiting and posed to strike.

"Well Camula, looks like that's about all she wrote. Now if you don't mind, we should wrap this up before the rest of this building comes down on us. Although I guess it really wouldn't make a difference either way for you…" I advanced, as just as I was about to order Schuberta to attack, she spoke.

"I see now that I never had any chance of victory, especially against someone with cards from the future." Her face was hidden behind green tresses, but I could've swore I heard sobbing noises. "Maybe this really was all for nothing…" She said with a tone of inevitability.

The rational part of my brain was screaming to just finish her off already, but I ultimately stayed my hand for a second. Perhaps, if Camula was going to realize the depth of her mistakes, I could allow her a few extra moments.

"Kagemaru revived me so that I could bring back the vampire clans of old, using the power of the Sacred Beasts…but in the end, it was nothing more than a fantasy." She continued. I was utterly unsure of how to handle this melancholy reflection.

"Why bother with this? When the duel is finished, your life is forfeit. If you don't like it, then you shouldn't have challenged me to a duel of darkness." I interrupted.

"You're right, Jamie. You're absolutely right. I just wish that things could have gone differently. Perhaps I was wrong for trusting Kagemaru…but maybe there is still a chance to turn things around. To redeem myself." She murmured.

"Tell me where I could find Kagemaru. What other hideouts does he have? And where are the other Shadow Riders?" I asked quickly, hoping that those tears of hers were genuine in spite of everything.

"I understand. Destroying the Seven Stars is your mission. None of my colleagues would have a chance against your Melodious deck…and I'm afraid I simply can't allow that."

"Say what?!" I made to call an attack with Schuberta, but Camula pounced forward and grabbed my wrist, covering the distance between us in a second.

"Forget the damn card game! Forget turning you into a vampire! You deserve to be killed by ME!" Her other hand plunged toward my neck, her fingernails sharp and poised to rip out my throat.

However, a moment before her hand could reach my neck, a golden barrier materialized, protecting my body and causing her hand to bounce off harmlessly. My spirit key glowed brightly, protecting me reflexively. The gold energy emanating from the key created a sort of cocoon around my body, keeping me totally insulated from any damage.

Camula sharply withdrew her hands, hissing in pain. I dimly noticed welts forming on her formerly flawless fingers – the key's shield must have burnt her! But how and why would the spirit key protect me? Was it some kind of self-preservation instinct? I certainly don't remember anything like this happening in canon, but then again none of the canon key keepers were ever physically assaulted, due to it being a kid's show about card games and all. I trembled, dimly realizing how close I was to death.

"AUGGHHH!" Her wails echoed through the empty castle. "How?!"

"You broke the rules of the game, it seems. The spirit keys must only be able to be won in a proper duel, not by force. But it doesn't matter, because this game is over! Schuberta, attack her directly!"

"~IF YOU WANNA BE MY LOVER, YOU HAVE GOT TO GIVE, TAKING IS TOO EASY, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS~" The red-cloaked idol belted out another Spice Girls chorus, ending the match. I guess it wasn't technically a Disney song…still I gotta figure out how to get my own playlist rocking here. **(Jamie 1500/Camula 0)**

The girls gave me smiles and winks before disappearing, leaving me unsure as to how real they were…were they duel spirits, mere holograms, or something else? I had no idea. But they sure came in handy here. It was nice to know that I could rely on these cards when the chips were down, even though I still didn't know how they traveled to this dimension with me. But more pressing matters demanded my attention, namely Camula, who was on her knees in defeat. I stood over her, a look of contempt on my face.

"I guess I can't blame you for trying to kill me…a cornered bat will show its fangs. But unfortunately for you, when it comes to duels of darkness, the power of life and death is in the hands of the victor alone…and that victor is me." I said in a low growl.

She said nothing, glaring at me with a seething rage. "Get on with it, then. I will not tell you anything about my master or the other Shadow Riders, but you can rest assured that Kagemaru escaped from this place. And now that he knows a bit more about your true deck…he can prepare for it. If you want to live, you'll bow before him." She literally spat at my feet.

"Camula, I like to be a nice guy. I really do. But all of these threats kinda make me want to see you erased from existence. Come to think of it, if our positions were reversed, you would probably have killed me already. So give me one good reason why I shouldn't destroy you." I said. See, I'm a reasonable guy!

"Damn you! One day, vampires will walk the earth again, and you pitiful meatbags will be used as nothing more than livestock, you smug little bastard! We'll see how well your pithy little one-liners serve you then!" She snarled as her body began to fade away, her life force being scattered to the four winds.

"Sorry, looks like humans win this round, no garlic required. And one more thing…" I looked directly into her hate-filled eyes. "I'm Team Jacob."

Camula screeched as her body turned into light, bursting apart like a million fireflies. The sexy vampire was erased from existence. The trace of her that remained was the bronze choker, her Shadow Charm. I reached down to pick it up. "At least there's proof that I took her down. The others will want to see this." I muttered to myself.

She was scary, I'll give her that. I grasped at my neck, feeling lucky that it was unharmed. She really tried to kill me and would have succeeded if not for the Spirit Key's built-in home security system. That's definitely something I have to fill in the others about as well.

I heard rumblings from the upper floors and felt a trickle of dust hit my shoulder. This place really was about to go to shit. I didn't know how large the building was, but the fact that the Melodious Divas were the cause of it coming down was pretty incredible.

I bounded up the spiral staircase three steps at a time. All the while, bricks fell around me, and I was fortunate that none hit me. At the top of the stairs, I kicked open a door to find myself in what appeared to the central atrium of the castle. To the north, a staircase diverged and led to two separate wings. I probably didn't want to go that way. I looked to the south and saw a huge wooden door that hopefully would get me to the outside. Hustling over, I attempted to open the door, but twisting the knob didn't work. Neither did pushing or pulling. The door was too thick to break down and I didn't want to waste time jimmying the lock, so I looked away. Sprinting over to a window, I saw that I was on the ground floor. Good. However, there were no heavy objects around I could break the window with- aha! A few bricks fell from the ceiling. Waiting a few moments to make sure nothing else fell, I hurried over, grabbed a brick, and hurled it through the window. I looked over to find that there was a short drop below the window, where some shrubs awaited.

Taking care not to cut myself on the jagged glass still attached to the window frame, I slowly maneuvered my way through the broken window. Soon, I was hanging from the outside edge of the sill. Gritting my teeth, I let myself fall into the bush.

Sadly, it was a rose bush. My shirt, back, and arms were torn up by the shrub's thorns and extricating myself was an equally painful process. Luckily, my duel disk and cards didn't get caught in the thicket and remained undamaged as a result. "Damn…" I steadily pulled at the stickers I could find, most being situated in my back. I couldn't reach some of them, though.

Looking up at the starry night, I saw a lone helicopter cross the sky. I'd bet Kagemaru was in there…damn, he was so close! I could've finished off the leader of the Shadow Riders had I defeated Camula quicker!

But as I looked at the Shadow Charm, a sense of accomplishment persisted. Camula had been defeated, and without the opportunity to play her Illusion Gate, no less! This means that Zane was probably going to keep his key, and that meant that the Sacred Beasts were going to remain sealed. As long as everything goes according to plan, we should be fine…although nothing ever goes according to plan.

But I was getting ahead of myself. As I gazed around the foreign countryside, I wondered where I was and how I was going to get back to the island. Where in the world am I?

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **The blueballing is over! Jamie Lancaster has finally used his Melodious Diva deck, and it made rather short work of Camula. The Melodious deck is powerful for the time period, but Jamie can't really use in public for obvious reasons, making it a sort of Ikkaku's Bankai type of situation if you guys have ever read Bleach. It sure makes for a nice trump card(s) in times like this, although it seems the girls like to annoy Jamie by playing Disney songs and Spice Girls. In the future, however, Jamie might not have the luxury of being by himself, and may have to choose between using the Melodious deck or using his public deck. But that's a story for another time…**

 **Camula is actually a pretty cool character in my opinion, and I kinda wanted to use her more in the future, but in the end, I decided on sixin' her. She didn't really get to show off her cards' full potential, but such is life. She really didn't seem like the type of person who could be redeemed in either sub or dub.**

 **One more thing – thank you all for your continued readership as always. Next chapter will catch us up with some of the other characters – The Chazz may even make an appearance!**


	20. My Duel Spirit Can't Be This Cute!

Chapter 20: My Duel Monster Spirit Can't Be This Cute!

 **(Chazz Princeton POV)**

In the far north, winter raged in all its intensity. Every other day, it seemed like driving snow barraged the campus of North Academy, with grey clouds blotting out the sun and fierce winds whipping across the ice fields.

But nothing could dampen the spirits of the students. For so long, North Academy had been an afterthought, the redheaded stepchild of the five great Duel Academies of the world.

East Academy in England was well known for being situated in a bustling metropolitan area, where ambitious students had ample opportunity for networking and career striving.

West Academy, located in Morocco, was known for its strict and militaristic structure, which produced duelists of extreme discipline and focus. Its headmaster, Thelonious Viper, had recently introduced the controversial system of Survival Duels to his students, although details about what exactly those Survival Duels entailed were thin on the ground. Still, there was no denying that West Academy students were hardy and tough.

South Academy, located in Australia, took a more laid back stance, and supported the most areas of academic studying besides dueling of all the other schools. Students were given extensive freedom to explore various styles of dueling, and this led to the rise of numerous unusual and unique decks.

Central Academy was known for three things – its stratified dorm structure, its location on a tropical island in the Pacific Ocean, and the deep pool of talent it supported. In the past ten years, Central Academy had produced the most powerful and skilled duelists of all the academies, and why wouldn't it, with Seto Kaiba himself at the helm? However, the school also had a reputation of aloofness and arrogance due to the fact that many of its top students came from rich families and silver spoon prep schools.

North Academy was just there. It sat in the frozen wastes of Siberia, simply existing so that there could be a Duel Academy for every cardinal direction, it would seem. The Northerners were masters of none- they did not have the rarest cards, or the most clever students, or the most intense training methods. They were looked down upon by the other schools – after all, what duelist worth their salt would choose to freeze their asses off for a subpar education?

However, that was beginning to change.

Under the leadership of their ace duelist, Chazz Princeton, North Academy was slowly but surely rising in the world of dueling. After their victory against Central Academy at the 2004 School Duel, the North Academy students had some portion of glory for the first time, and a leader to rally around. Despite his horrible haircut, mishmashed deck, and complete lack of anything resembling conventional social skills, Chazz was exalted by his peers. Or perhaps it was because of these oddities that he was liked. One thing was for sure – as long as he kept winning, he would have no shortage of respect from the Northerners.

 _"Just keep winning."_ The black-clad Czar thought to himself as he got out of the North Academy monthly practical exam. Despite his strange deck, Chazz managed to do just fine in the examinations, winning the necessary number of matches and completing the written test to satisfaction.

"Whew, glad that's over with! What a bore!" Jesse Anderson, Chazz's best and only friend, whistled as they walked out of the gymnasium where the tests were being held. As usual, he was completely chilled, even as other students came out of the test chamber wringing their hands in worry.

Chazz chuckled. "So, I take it the exams were no trouble for you then."

"Nah, my Crystal Beasts and I are a unit, there's no way we could lose to simple proctor decks. And from the looks of things, we've got a free afternoon ahead of us! What to do…" Jesse mused.

"I'm gonna go practice. If you'd like to come with, I wouldn't mind." Chazz said.

"Oh, curling, you mean? Of all sports, I never thought you'd get into curling. You really are a Northerner! But I'm gonna take a pass this time, I think. Maybe I'll see you at dinner." Jesse said with a two-fingered wave. Chazz saw the Ruby Carbuncle duel spirit nuzzle in Jesse's hair, making him suppress a small smile.

"Very well-" Chazz began to speak, but the sound of his phone ringing cut him off. "It's the headmaster." He said with furrowed brow. Jesse decided to stick around for a moment, in case Foster's call had something to do with him.

"Hello?" Chazz answered.

"Chazz, my boy, I hope I am not interrupting anything too important." Foster warbled.

"Not at all sir, Jesse and I just finished our practical exams."

"Ah, very good. I have no doubt you two did splendidly as always. If mister Anderson is with you, that makes things a little more convenient as well. If you lads are done with class for the day, could you come by my office sometime this afternoon?" The headmaster asked.

Chazz glanced at Jesse, who nodded. "We can come by right now if that suits you."

"Good! I'll be expecting you." Foster said quickly before hanging up.

"I wonder what he wants." Chazz said.

 _"He probably wants to tell us how awesome we are!"_ Ojama Yellow popped up out of nowhere, as he is wont to do.

" _Maybe we're finally gonna get our very own statue built! I believe that would be an excellent use of the school's funding!"_ Ojama Black piped up, his man tits jiggling.

Jesse chuckled at the little gremlin's antics. "That's probably not it. I think there's only one way to find out. Shall we?" Jesse held out his hand towards Chazz with a little curtsy. The Crystal Beast user always knew the best way to get Chazz's goat, although he never meant anything malicious by his teasing. Jesse was superficially popular at North Academy for his bishonen looks and friendly attitude, but he didn't have many close friends due to his constant traveling. Chazz and Jesse were really the other's only true friend.

With a lighthearted scoff, Chazz swatted away Jesse's hand. Then, they both made their way towards Foster's office, their duel spirits loyally trailing behind.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Gentlemen, have a seat." On the surface, Foster cut an even less intimidating figure than Sheppard. He always wore the same beat-up yellow puffer parka couple with dark jeans and functional brown leather boots, even when indoors. He was going bald, but refused to completely shave his head, and always seemed to have two-day old stubble on his face. However, his grey eyes shone with cleverness, and Chazz knew that the man was much more intelligent than he appeared.

"Headmaster." Chazz ground out with a short nod. Jesse, on the other hand, simply gave a casual smile and his requisite two-fingered salute. They both sat in swivel chairs opposite of Foster's oak desk. His office was designed similarly to Sheppard's, even having a large picture window facing the north. Unlike the palm trees and beaches that could be seen at Central Academy, Foster's office showed bare expanses of ice and snow. In the distance, a mountain range loomed darkly.

"Before we begin, we should wait for the others." Foster said cryptically, putting some stray folders on his desk inside a file cabinet.

"What others?" Jesse asked, but his question was answered by the sound of Skype booting up. Pulling out a remote control, Foster turned on the 32-inch monitor on his east wall. To Chazz's great shock, the faces of Slade and Jagger Princeton appeared on the screen.

"How goes it, little bro?" Slade jeered. From the looks of things, they were both at the Princeton family manor in the outer boroughs of Yokohama, Japan. It was Friday, so Chazz imagined they had just arrived there for a weekend retreat. The King in the North got over his surprise quickly and schooled his features into what he perceived as a neutral expression (although really it was more of a scowl).

"Just fine, brother." Chazz said tersely. The hostility rolled off of him in waves, but neither of the older brothers seemed to notice or care.

"Glad to hear it." The seemingly innocuous remark sounded very much like a threat coming out of Slade's mouth. Jesse glanced between the brothers, the tension palpable.

"We have an excellent opportunity for the both of you. As you're well aware, North Academy's clout has seen a significant uptick since your victory over Jaden Yuki at the School Duel." Jagger began to explain. Chazz couldn't help but smirk – the day he defeated the Slifer slacker was utterly glorious in his mind.

"And because of this recent upswing in our fortunes, many smaller schools are attempting to bask in some shared glory by scheduling events with us. Everyone loves a winner, after all." Foster chimed in. "As our strongest two duelists by a country mile, everyone is eager to see the depths of your talents."

"Hmph. Is that all? I'll take on any one of these hillbillies if that's what you're talking about. The Chazz never runs from a challenge!" Chazz declared as the Ojamas twerked in the background. Luckily, no one but Jesse could see them. It was the hardest thing he had ever done, but the teal-haired boy managed to keep a straight face.

"I'm still not exactly sure what ya'll are getting at." Jesse asked once the giggles subsided.

"The American Duel Academy has sent both of you a formal invitation to a tournament at the beginning of the summer, June 1 to be precise. That is the final day of term for them, and the tournament is held amongst the best students at the school as a sort of graduation ceremony." Jagger posited.

'What does that have to do with us, then?" Chazz asked fiercely.

"You two won't be participating in the tournament, but you would both duel in an exhibition match with two of the top students from the American academy. It would be a 'show of international friendship' and all that bullshit." Slade answered.

"You two would be handsomely compensated for such an endeavor, and we would be happy to provide the means of transportation. If you agree to this challenge, the American Duel Academy would provide a night's stay in a nearby hotel." Jagger said in a way that suggested that they would be fools to turn this chance up.

"North Academy's semester finishes the week before, so it wouldn't conflict with anything here." Foster supplied.

"Where is the American Duel Academy? It's a pretty big country, after all." Jesse said with good humor. No one laughed.

"It's in San Francisco, California. A nice change of pace, as far as weather is concerned." Foster said with a small smile.

"Awesome! San Fran is a great city!" Jesse exclaimed.

"I'm sure you would think so." Jagger remarked, sharing a glance with Slade in which a secret joke was shared. Jesse's good mood evaporated, and he gave the investor a cold glare. Chazz didn't understand the implications behind the remark, looking at his brothers with momentary confusion. Soon enough, however, he was back to his usual bluster.

"Of course I'll go. As the Czar, it is my duty to represent North Academy the right way. I'm about to _Chazz_ all over these American's faces!" Chazz declared with his usual ostentatiousness, turning his own name into a verb.

"I'll go as well." Jesse said, taking a deep breath.

"Very good. I will inform Principal Mackenzie of our decision tonight. Thank you for brokering this agreement, misters Slade and Jagger. And thanks to both of you boys for dueling. I believe this deal bodes well for North Academy." Foster said with uncharacteristic professionalism.

"Make the family proud, Chazz. We will discuss this at length later." Slade finished. Chazz nodded silently, not relishing the idea of speaking to them any more than necessary. The elder brothers nodded back before cutting the call.

Foster breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh man, those two always put me on edge. Thanks for agreeing to this, fellas. You're gonna be heroes if you manage to win another big duel overseas, moreso than you already are."

"A chance to get out the cold is enough of a reward, but to knock some heads while we're at it? How could I resist?" Chazz grinned. _"And once my power grows, I'll knock those bastard brothers of mine off their pedestals for good!"_ He thought viciously. _"I'm gonna be my own man someday, just they wait!"_

After some more idle talk, the two boys left the Headmaster's office and made for the cafeteria. "You weren't kidding about your brothers being horrible, Chazz." Jesse said seriously.

Chazz gave him a sideways glance. "Yeah, they are." Chazz would never admit it, but Jesse was more of a brother to him than Slade and Jagger had ever been. They didn't know him and they didn't want to know him. At least he could be reasonably sure that Jesse wouldn't betray him the moment he outlived his usefulness like those two shitheels would.

"What's got you so upset anyhow? They hardly spoke a word to you." The czar mused as they descended the staircase towards the mess hall.

Jesse gave a false smile that Chazz didn't recognize as false. "Eh, it's nothing to get worked up about." He said. Chazz shrugged and put the incident from his mind completely.

"I just wonder who's gonna be our opponents…"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

 **(? POV)**

A sleek white limousine crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, one of many cars crossing the famous road on the average morning commute. However, the subject matter being discussed by the passengers of the limo was anything but average.

"Well well, it appears the ambiguously gay duo has accepted our invitation. Everything is proceeding according to plan, wouldn't you say, Mac?" A man spoke as he looked up from his laptop. He was tall and muscular, his white coat and pants striking a contrast with the black leather interior of the limo. His ivory and gold commissar cap covered straight blond hair and a pair of strict blue eyes. A curious green earring hung off his right ear, but there wasn't a matching one on his left.

"Indeed, although there's nothing ambiguous about Anderson, if you catch my drift, brother." A woman wearing similarly militaristic garb answered. She brushed her shoulder-length blonde hair behind her hair with a disarming smile. She had a stunning figure, and an earring identical to her brother's on her left ear. "It is Princeton who is the more fascinating character."

The man pulled up a video of Chazz Princeton dueling Jaden Yuki at the School Duel. The video was posted by someone named SimplySugihara on DuelTube. "Light and Darkness Dragon and Winged Kuriboh…wouldn't you know it; both of these guys have spirits. Looks like a lot of interesting people are coming out of Central Academy. Rumor has it that another of the Legendary Planets is on the island as well. And this Jamie Lancaster fellow seems a bit odd. He defeated Princeton in only two turns." He mused, his mind going in a thousand different directions with this information.

"We have no use for a duelist who does not have a spirit. Besides, the only reason he won was because of a cheap trap card. For now, let us focus on our goal…all my eyes can see is the supreme beauty of that dragon. A card of such strength and grace does not belong to one as crude as Princeton. Those disgusting Ojamas suit him better!" Reggie Mackenzie laughed cruelly.

"That's right. He can keep those little shits for all it matters. The Dragon and the Kuriboh are what we need." David Rabb replied. "And if we can, I'd like to find out what Anderson's deal is."

"I think we both know what his _deal_ is." Mackenzie interjected sharply.

David sighed. "I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about his duel spirits. Rumor has it that the Crystal Beasts used to be the servants of another greater duel spirit, one that even rivaled the power of Ma'at."

"Hmm? In that case, he may be a threat as well. But we shall find out the truth soon enough, as we wait for them to fall into our trap…" The siblings cackled, dark shadows crossing their faces. "A few months are of no importance…compared to the tedium of five thousand years."

 _"Man, you sure meet some weird people at this job."_ The put-upon Uber driver sighed at the front of the car. _"I don't get paid enough for this."_

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

 **(Kagemaru POV)**

When the rubble began to fall from the castle ceiling, Kagemaru had already detached his tank from the grounded support systems around him and scuttled away on the spider-like apparatus attached to the with tank's bottom. Camula's life was a necessary loss…now that he knew the power of a deck from the future.

"It is fortunate that I escaped when I did…I would have no chance against those terrifying cards!" Kagemaru mumbled to himself in the back of the helicopter. In the event that he would have to make a hasty escape, he had one of his other assassins, a duel spirit by the name of Don Zaloog, waiting with transport at the ready.

Zaloog was piloting the aircraft. Much like his card art, he wore a leather vest with a bandolier slung across his shoulders. All sorts of weapons and tools were affixed to his utility belt, and a black scorpion design was tattooed to his bicep. His silver hair was long and lank, and a patch emblazoned with the symbol of Horus covered his left eye socket.

In the back, the four other members of the Dark Scorpion gang sat, tending to their master. They wildly differed in appearance; there was a burly, bald strongman, a rather jumpy, short blond boy, a smirking, devious brunette woman, and a shifty-looking man of medium build who seemed fixated on polishing his knife. No, I mean actually polishing his knife, like an actual dagger, not the other thing. What they all shared was a mischievous nature – they were sort of people who sought trouble gladly, and often thrived in it.

They weren't the most powerful of duel spirits, but Kagemaru was able to win them to his side fairly easily; money was all they cared for. Kagemaru could scarcely believe that some people could be swayed by such a meaningless thing as money…merely living paycheck to paycheck like slaves. Luckily, his eyes were set on the higher goal of eternal youth, and no amount of money could sway him from that.

The reason he could see his goal so clearly was because he had felt the powers of youth before. He had once been a hard-bodied young man with strength and vitality immeasurable. Men wanted to be him, and women wanted to be with him – and a great many were. He made sport of challenges that caused other men, _weaker_ men to throw their hands up in defeat. Kagemaru had the best of everything in life – women, travel, money, and power- but nothing made him happier than seeing other men whine about how _unfair_ it all was, that he made their place in the pecking order all too clear. Retreat was a wholly unfamiliar word to him.

And now look at him – running scared from a bunch of singing little girls! It was bad enough that he had to cling to life with the aid of modern medicinal technology, but that smart-aleck Lancaster made him look ridiculous and feeble. And to top it off, he needlessly lost one of his servants in the process. Duel Monsters wasn't around back in Kagemaru's youth, but he was sure that he would be able to defeat the key keepers, a bunch of children, with the Sacred Beasts.

Then, when he did his research on the key holders in question, he started noticing a troubling pattern. None of the others were particularly noteworthy – Zane Truesdale was powerful, but there were ways to defeat the Cyber Dragons. Jaden Yuki had an unusual array of abilities – he wielded the gentle darkness as though he had used it all his life. But his academics were poor, and Kagemaru felt comfortable concluding that he was an unskilled brute, who could be outdone with strategy and planning.

Jamie Lancaster, on the other hand, was a completely unexplainable case by any normal metrics. In middle school, he was a boy of average intelligence, more interested in sports than schoolwork. He was rather goofy too, and liked to joke around in dopey, good-natured manner. The boy never expected much out of life, spending most of his free time messing around with his friends and playing games. He used a simple dragon deck, chosen only because he thought that dragons were cool. Even as the meta evolved, he would never abandon that dragon deck of his.

Until one day, he did.

All of these previously established traits went out the window the day of the entrance exams. Jamie completely altered his deck – Kagemaru didn't think there was even a single dragon type monster in there now. Furthermore, he wielded his cards with mastery, at least compared to before. He even used a copy of Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, a card considered quite rare. His personality and study habits practically changed overnight as well. Jamie had among the best grades in the freshman class and rose to Obelisk Blue within his first two months on campus. This sudden ambition wasn't congruent with the type of person he was in the past. His sense of humor had become a bit more snappish and biting than it was before, and there was a certain intensity that didn't exist before.

Kagemaru had some ideas as to how this could be possible, but he saw the security camera footage of the boy battling what looked like the duel spirit of Jinzo, he developed a theory.

The boy was an emissary of the sacred darkness. For one reason or another, the cosmic forces brought this man from a different timeline to this one. There was no other way to explain the dark duel energy that flooded from his being seemingly without his knowledge.

 _"Jamie Lancaster could be a false name…he might not even be human."_ Kagemaru, unknowingly, was building up a grand image of his enemy, such was the extent of his fear.

"We'll be landing in Vlore shortly, boss. A ship is waiting there for us. We'll sail north and regroup at Ancona." The brown-haired man reported, never taking his eyes off his knife. Kagemaru was shaken from his reverie.

"Good. Ever since that Noodle Incident, Seto Kaiba has been barred from setting foot in Italy. Our forces will be able to convene safely there." The old man said.

"Yes, although we'll have to find some new clothes for Abidos. He tends to stand out as he is now." The woman glibly added, and the other Dark Scorpions snickered in response.

Kagemaru remained stoic. "The key keeper that Camula was battling is still in Albania. He may have died from the castle's collapse, but I have reason to believe he is not an ordinary human."

The laughter of the scorpions ceased immediately. Camula was among the most powerful of their group. They held no love for her but knowing that the key keepers were this strong gave them pause. This Jamie Lancaster seemed to even put a trace of fear in their master.

"I am not sure how long he will be stranded in Albania, but the longer the better. If Lancaster is isolated from the others, we should be able to pick off the weaker key keepers with relative ease." Kagemaru continued.

"But boss, shouldn't we take out this Lancaster schmuck while he's by himself? He's gotta be weakened from fighting Camula, right?" The jittery blond boy spoke up, seeming to regret his words even as they poured from his mouth.

"No!" Kagemaru boomed, silencing his minions. "Additional preparation is needed to handle Lancaster. I will destroy him myself in due time, once I have the cards to do so. For now, I want you lot to focus on defeating Bastion Misawa. He is one of the weaker key keepers in terms of duel energy, but his intelligence makes him somewhat dangerous. He is smart but lacks cunning – if you are able to subvert his own preconceived notions of your battle power, then defeating him should be more than possible."

"Consider it done!" Each of the Dark Scorpions sounded off. "The Dark Scorpions are on the job!"

Kagemaru nodded, confident that the gang could at last handle this much. _"As for me, I will have to create cards that can destroy the Melodious Divas…every card has a weakness, and I will find a way!"_ Nothing would stop him from achieving immortality, and certainly not a band of vocaloid waifus!

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

 **(Alexis Rhodes POV)**

Alexis Rhodes opened her eyes to a dark hospital ceiling at five in the morning. The painkillers left her mind a bit hazy, and she spent almost two minutes staring at the ceiling fan, recalling what had happened in the past week.

"Atticus…" She mumbled, looking to her left. Somehow, behind the curtain separating them, she knew that her brother was there. She thought that Atticus was long dead. The idea of him returning from the depths of darkness was a moment Alexis had dreamed of a thousand times…and she had made that dream a reality with her own two hands. She had freed him from the monster controlling his heart, and he was back. Waking up didn't just feel like returning to consciousness – it felt like being reborn into a new life, one full of wonder and possibility.

Her arms felt dead, but she was slowly regaining feeling in them. Looking to her right, Alexis saw a beautiful vase of marigolds that everyone pitched in to buy. A card signed by the key keepers, the teachers, Adam, Mindy, Jasmine, and even Erin sat next to the vase. Alexis felt a lump in her throat, glad that she had people who were on her side on this dark and frightening world. People who liked her for more than her beauty and social standing. Even her rivalry with Erin was better than the fake and honeyed words of the people she hung around with in prep school. At least Erin challenged her directly- the other girls would smile to her face while scheming to put a dagger in her back, metaphorically.

Alexis couldn't wait to get out of this hospital. She was a key keeper, a fighter! She would not stand by and expect others to take care of things for her. She couldn't wait to see her friends again. It was a crazy thought, since it was the middle of the night, but a friendly visitor would be a welcome sight. In her hazy state of mind, she didn't notice the spirit key in her bedside dresser glowing, signifying that a fellow key keeper was doing battle.

"Wonder what sort of trouble is afoot now…"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Jaden Yuki POV)

It was happening again. Although he had a few blessed months of peace since the last time, the nightmarish voice was coming back.

For the past three nights, his dreams were assaulted with visions of Professor Banner's death. Endlessly, he would see the smiling professor he used to break bread with crumble into dust. Tonight, however, his dreams were visited for the second time by the voice.

 _"You have done well, my king. This was your first great victory. Didn't it feel good to crush an upstart, to impose your will!? There are few greater pleasures in life than watching an enemy disappear."_ The voice sounded like it was getting off on this.

"No. That wasn't a victory. I hated that I had to do that. Professor Banner used to be a friend. He just wanted to live. Nothing about that situation was fair." Jaden would posit, speaking back to the horror that dwelled in his mind.

A high-pitched, childlike laugh. _"Fairness is the false idol that the common and mediocre cling to. A king has no use for such a concept. In order to keep the peace, a king's will must be absolute! Your word describes what is fair and what is not! And if someone defies that will, then that person should be punished. With death if that is your wish."_

"I'm not a king! I'm a hero, so just shut up!" Jaden was fed up and would have done anything in that moment to make the voice go away for good. "I don't want to kill anybody…but I had no choice."

But to his shock, the voice seemed pleased with this behavior. _"It seems you are rediscovering your will. Good…these recent events may have served a little to right your course. You were always a gentle boy, wanting nothing more than to cling to childhood and the simple pleasures in life…in truth, it is one of the qualities I love about you. But when you learn to hate…not a force in the universe will be able to stop you."_

"Stop talking about love! You are filled with nothing but evil! You don't love me, it's clear that you only want to see me suffer, so stay out of my life!" Jaden roared.

But the voice openly welcomed this, as though Jaden's words were twisted compliments. _"Yes, you're exactly right! Suffering is the way that we love each other! It's certainly the way you express your love for me when you sent me away all those years ago..."_

To his horror, Jaden saw an arm _plunge_ into his chest like a sword through jello. Looking down, he saw the arm was not human; they were purple and black and clawed, with scales like a dragon's. The pain was utterly unlike anything he had experienced before – it added an even more surreal layer to this nightmare.

 _"This is the true bond between us, my king! The bond of pain! Oh, how I love you, Jaden! And after all of the thieves that want to steal your love and power are killed, we will be able to love each forever!"_

The arm withdrew, and Jaden saw that his heart was held in the creature's talons. The red, veiny mass pulsated as blood seeped from the open hole in his chest. _"This has always belonged to me and me alone! The more you resist your destiny, the more you will suffer!"_

"I won't do it, you hear me! That's not who I am! I'll change my destiny and be a hero!" Jaden shouted into the void, somehow still alive despite his heart being gone. He fell endlessly in a dark void, watching his heart grow smaller and smaller in the distance…

Suddenly, Jaden woke up again, the key around his neck glowing brightly. The dream faded from his memory again, but the pain lingered. Feeling around his chest, Jaden noticed acute pain, as though sharp objects had been digging into his skin in that area.

However, the bright key put his mind from the unexplainable discomfort. "No way, is a key keeper dueling right now? A Shadow Rider must have attacked in the middle of the night! I sure hope that they're alright…" Jaden loved his friends and wanted to protect them…but right now he wasn't sure if he could protect himself.

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 **(Jamie Lancaster (My) POV)**

As the ruins of Camula's castle grew smaller in the background, I walked vaguely towards some semblance of civilization. In the far distance, I saw the lights of a city, contrasting heavily with the fields and forests of my current surroundings. I walked towards the city, unsure of how far off it was. The night was crisp and clear, not as cold I would've expected for mid-February. Luckily, the walk wasn't lonely.

"Then again, I have no idea where I am. You wouldn't happen to have any ideas, would you? My phone is dead." I asked my traveling companion.

Flying next to me was the duel monster spirit of Sonata the Melodious Diva. I never drew this card in my duel versus Camula, but I did have two copies in the deck. She was a beautiful young woman with shimmering green hair and lemon-colored skin, oddly enough. She wore a blue dress with musical note patterns on the hem and a teasing expression on her face. It seems all of these Divas like to tease me, but Sonata was the only one that could manifest as a spirit outside of duels. She also had a proclivity for bursting out into song.

"~Chilling out with the crew in the schoolyard, finding trouble, never looking too hard~" She sung. I wasn't aware that I needed a female cover of the fucking English theme song in my life, but here we are.

"Um, Sonata?" I waved my hand to try and get her attention.

"~GAME ON, GETCHA GAME ON~" She belted.

"SONATA!" I raised my voice and finally got through to my very strange duel monster spirit.

"Huh? Oh, no idea, Jamie-kun. Not familiar with the geography of Earth." She flew effortlessly in the air while I walked westward along the tree line.

I gave her a droll look. "You don't have to refer me with a Japanese honorific. I'm not even Japanese. Am I? Wait, I'm pretty sure I'm not!" I rationalized, briefly experiencing an existential crisis as I pondered the ethnicity of anime characters.

"I know, Jamie-kun~" She pulled my cheek, her voice perfectly melodious and sublime. I rolled my eyes.

"You're free to do as you like. I really owe you girls for helping me out back there. Things could've gotten really…unpleasant." I shuddered, recalling Camula's attempt on my life. "But I'm not sure why I can see you now. Before, I couldn't see any duel spirits."

"Well, if I had to guess, it's probably because you weren't using your real deck before! But I'm not an expert on things like this, I never went to college." Sonata explained.

I did a double take. "Duel spirits have college?"

She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Sure we do, silly! It's not the same as most human systems of education, but we duel spirits do have a functioning society."

Huh. I guess I never thought of it like that. Whenever the duel spirit realm was brought up in canon, such mundane details were never the focus. Still, I found this information fascinating.

"It might have something to do with the shadow games, too. In your duels with Jinzo and Camula, you've been totally immersed in duel energy. Plus, you were around dark beings like Nightshroud and Jaden when they were fighting." During our long walk, I was able to fill her in on everything that happened up to this point.

"Yeah, maybe." I mused. "Sorry for keeping you girls out of the action up to this point, by the way. It's not what I really want to do, but you understand that I don't have much choice."

"Don't worry, we've just been in the duel monster spirit world. Besides, even if you're not dueling with us, I bet I could still manifest as a spirit from time to time as well!" She said cheerfully.

"Hey, that's cool. You seem pretty nice! So why on earth did you choose to throw in your lot with someone like me, anyways?" I ask with a smile.

She smiled back sweetly. "I know you come from a timeline where duel spirits don't exist, so I thought it would be interesting to hang around you. Fortunately, you turned out to be a mostly decent guy as well. Not every duel spirit is lucky enough to be linked with a good person, ya know. Some duelists enslave their spirits and force them to do their bidding. I think that's what that Kagemaru guy wants to do with the Sacred Beasts, right?" She asked. It was hard to talk about serious subjects with Sonata since her voice naturally had a soothing, sultry quality to it.

"Yeah, that's why he wants these keys. Speaking of which, I thought these keys weren't allowed to leave the island. We're clearly not on the island, so I wonder what the deal is." I pondered. Sonata shrugged.

After about two hours of walking, our travels took us took a gas station on the outskirts of the city. The signs and labels were written in a language that I couldn't recognize by sight. I was no expert on languages, but it didn't seem to be a well-known tongue like English or French. A few of the signs included both English and the unknown language though, so I was able to find my way around somewhat.

I entered the gas station and went to the bathroom. While I took care of business, Sonata looked around the place for a map, unbeknownst to the bored teenager behind the counter. "Over here, Jamie-kun!" She called as I rejoined her, gesturing to a stack of maps over by a vending machine.

Hmm, let's see…a flag with a black twin-headed falcon on a red field…we're in Albania! Specifically, we just entered the port city of Vlore. This must be where Camula was originally from, both as a human and a vampire. Guess I can check a place off of my travel bucket list, although circumstances were obviously less than ideal. The map was labeled in Albanian and English, allowing me to get the lay of the land fairly easily. Luckily, the place had an airport as well. It would cost a pretty penny to get back to Academy Island – it would probably drain my savings from work – but that was the way things were.

"Then again, I could contact Headmaster Sheppard and see if he could arrange transportation back to the island. I'd be glad to split the costs as long as my "parents" don't find out. I didn't want them to worry.

There was a payphone outside I could use. I had no idea what time it was on the island. It's probably an eight to ten-hour difference. So, it would be about eleven in the morning to one in the afternoon there if it was about three in the morning here. Sheppard will probably pick up. From there, I can make a plan to get back to the island. Only problem was, I didn't have the local currency, so this plan wasn't really feasible.

"We'll have to wait until the banks open to exchange, which is in…six hours. Great." I mutter. This really sucked!

"Aw, there's gotta be something to do in a city like this. Let's just sightsee until morning!" The positive-minded Sonata chimed in. I couldn't help but grin. "After all, you just beat a strong enemy! That's gotta be worth a little celebration!"

I couldn't help but grin. "Believe me, after all of these villains are taken care of, I plan on spending the rest of my long life celebrating. And there will be plenty of singing involved, I assure you."

"That would be great. Especially after the way you went down in your past life…no one deserves to die like that." Sonata commented, and the smile slipped off of my face.

"So you know about that, huh?" I said in a low, angry voice.

"Yeah." Sonata said. Sensing my turmoil, she backpedaled, "I'm sorry, let's not talk about that! It's in the past."

"Right…it doesn't matter now." I mumble. "No need to apologize, I'm just a little worried about how we're going to get back to the island."

"Well, your key is glowing again, maybe that will help." The green-haired diva pointed at my chest.

I looked down, and sure enough, the key was growing brighter by the second. "What the Nani?!" I exclaimed as we were both suddenly engulfed in a dome of golden energy.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

When we reappeared, I quickly took note of our surroundings and concluded that we were in the main infirmary at Duel Academy! Thank Ra!

It seems that Kaiba was right about the keys not being able to leave the island after all. It looks like after a set time period, the keys are able to teleport themselves, and by extension me, back to the island. I was gone for about…five to six hours, so that must be the time limit. Interesting. Sunlight streamed through the windows, nearly blinding me. It was clearly around midday here, while it was three in the morning in Albania. The teleportation must have been instantaneous.

Wait, if I'm in the hospital wing, that means…I turned around and saw Alexis Rhodes staring at me with an absolutely shocked expression.

"Sup." I lamely greeted.

"What are you doing? How did you even get in here?" She asked. I assume she probably didn't expect me suddenly appearing in a flash of light at the foot of her bed. Understandable.

"So, I know this looks a bit weird, but I have an explanation." I began. And at that moment, I felt about eight hours of jet lag hit me all at once. Skipping across several time zones, combined with my already extreme fatigue, was a bit too much. My eyes locked onto a nearby garbage can, and I proceeded to vomit inside of it. Alexis was utterly gob smacked.

After I was finished with that bit of nasty business, I proceeded to stand up and begin my explanation as though nothing had happened. "So anyway, what happened is – BLARG!" I felt a second wave coming and hunched over the trashcan once more. Alexis' silent shock transformed into uncontrollable hilarity. As my stomach was being emptied of its contents, I tried to recall an incident more embarrassing than this.

 _"Oh yeah, just a couple of hours ago when the Divas played Spice Girls over the dramatic battle with Camula. That's a contender, at least."_ My brain helpfully supplied. With a rattled breath, I stood again balancing on a nearby sink as I wiped the sweat from my brow.

"Come on, I don't look _that_ bad, do I?" Alexis said teasingly. Seems like every girl in the world is getting their shots in at me lately. Truth be told, even with the unkempt hair and pallid skin of a recovering hospital patient, she was still pretty stunning.

"Let's never speak of this, agreed?" I ventured.

She laughed. "Yeah, I'm telling everyone the first chance I get. That was the funniest thing I've seen in a while! Anyways, if you're done puking, why don't you explain this whole teleporting into the hospital wing business?" She said while giggling.

"Look, I need to get some sleep or else I'm going to fucking die. My sleep schedule's been horrible ever since I became an Obelisk Blue, now that I think of it." I stammered.

"You get used to it." Alexis replied. "Just give the abridged version."

"Screw the rules, I have money!" I immediately spouted.

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean by abridged, you goofball."

And so, I gave her the play by play of the night's events. "So yeah, this vampire was an absolute babe, but she was also really crazy, and-"

"Wait, what did you say?" Alexis perked up dangerously.

"I said that this vampire was the ugliest creature I have ever laid eyes upon." I hastily amended.

"Oh, good. That's what I thought you said." She seemed suspicious yet mollified.

To finish off the story, I pulled Camula's bronze choker out of my pocket. "You know each of these assholes has a shadow charm, right? For Nightshroud, it was the other half of that weird medallion Jaden has. For Amnael, it was that book of his. Well, this vampire lady had this. What do ya think?" I handed it to her so she could take a closer look.

She appraised it carefully. "Eh, it's kinda cute, but the weird Ancient Egyptian eye at the center is kind of a deal breaker."

I sputtered, "It's not for you to wear!" Although the image of Alexis wearing a choker was nice…but anyways, "It's proof that the third Shadow Rider is officially pushing up daisies."

Alexis grinned. She appeared to be nearly back at full strength. "I bet you were glad for the opportunity to let loose on one of these freaks."

"Oh, you have no idea."

"You and Zane like to play it cool, but it's kind of cute how the both you can't help but get excited for a good challenge. I suppose that's why you two get along like a house on fire." She giggled. "I take it you'll be telling the others about this today?"

"I'll be telling them about it whenever I wake up, because I'm going to sleep now. By the way, when are you getting out of this place?" I asked, my wooziness peaking.

"Tomorrow. I just hope that Atticus will wake up soon. I'm getting really worried about him…"

"Hey, he'll be all right. Fontaine's crew will find a way to treat him. Just remember that he wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for your efforts." I said in an attempt to be encouraging. Alexis seemed to appreciate the effort, at the very least.

"Have a good rest, Jamie. The next time I see you, we'll both be ready to take on the world." She said softly.

"Of course." As my exhaustion threatened to overtake me, I quickly took my leave and stumbled back to the Obelisk Blue dorms while other kids were going to class. I had already missed two days of school, but grades were the last thing on my mind. Those would work themselves out.

As I crawled onto the bed, I heard Sonata's voice above me. "Jamie and Alexis, sitting in a tree – K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Maybe you should try not to puke in front of her next time, stud."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Not my fault the keys seem to gravitate towards each other. I would have rather landed here so I could sleep." I mumble back.

"Really? I think you rather enjoyed having the opportunity to talk to that girl. She's pretty cute, ya know!" The green-haired siren cooed.

"Good night." I said even though it was 11:30 in the morning.

"Sweet dreams, Jamie-kun~"

"I said cut it out with the honorifics!"

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. Shout out to any Albanian readers out there.**

 **Thought this chapter would be a nice way of catching up with several characters. No duel this time, but we got Chazz and Jesse road tripping right into a trap, the introduction of manga villains, another Jaden/Yubel nightmare sequence, Kagemaru schemin', and Jamie basically blundering his way back to the island with a new duel spirit in tow! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter because it let me explore numerous POVs.**

 **So the keys can technically leave the island, but after about six hours they will just warp back to the island because they are bound to the Sacred Beasts. But on the plus side, they will also protect the key keeper if that key keeper's life is threatened during a duel. Outside a duel, they're on their own, so yeahhhhh...**

 **Anyone who has read the manga already knows what David Rabb and Reggie Mackenzie are after. They're not OCs, just to be clear lol. We'll see how well Chazz and Jesse deal with them while Chazz also plots against his older brothers. I hope you guys are finding this fusion of the anime and manga verses satisfactory. Not everything from the manga will be appearing, just whatever strikes my fancy basically. The manga does a lot of things really well but there are some highly questionable decisions made there as well (Jesse and Aster in particular got shafted hard in the manga).**

 **Meanwhile, Jamie has a duel spirit! He didn't think he could see them at first, but exposure to Shadow Games as well as his real deck has revealed that Sonata the Melodious Diva is his duel spirit. However, she is not with him all the time like Winged Kuriboh is to Jaden for example. She can only really manifest while Jamie is using his real deck or has his real deck with him, so just a heads up there. A while back, I came down hard on not giving him a duel spirit. As I planned out the plot further, I ultimately decided to do this as a way of developing Jamie's character, since he's normally very anti-supernatural. What do you guys think? I obviously included a few parody elements in there as well lol.**

 **A long author's note, but I wanted to clear up a few possible points of confusion. If you have any questions or comments, then by all means let me know, I love to read long and detailed reviews. See you next time!**


	21. Death by Snu-Snu

Chapter 21: Death by Snu-Snu (or Matrimonial Malfeasance)

"Alright, it's time to get your duel on!" A boisterous voice exclaimed.

"Uh, I think it's actually supposed to be "Get Your Game On". At least that's how I think Jaden says it." Another voice corrected.

"No way, how embarrassing! But it's not the catchphrase that matters, it's the cards! And I've copied Jaden Yuki's deck down to the finest details!" The first voice declared.

Two boys stood in the epicenter of a fairly large crowd of their peers, engaged in a duel. One was wearing a Slifer Red blazer that looked a size too large for him. His hair was matted down and messy, dyed two shades of ginger-brown. At first glance, this person appeared to be Jaden Yuki, but it was not so. The duelist in question was actually Dimitri of Ra Yellow, a young man well-known for his prowess at mimicking the mannerisms and strategies of better duelists. One way or another though, he never seemed to measure up to the real thing.

Across from him stood a rather bored Adam Sugihara. The Chinese gambling duelist had shrugged off his Ra Yellow coat, wearing a long-sleeve black shirt and the yellow pants of his house. His dark eyes glimmered dangerously. "I'm surprised you're still sticking to this copycat business, Dimitri. Thought you would've learned better after that fiasco with Yugi's deck a few months back." He commented drolly, drawing a few chuckles from the growing crowd of Ra Yellows who were interested in the duel.

"It's true that Jaden defeated me that day, but if I copy him, then I should be able to beat anybody! Especially someone who only relies on luck like you!" The salty Dimitri replied. On his side of the field were Elemental Hero Wild Wingman and Elemental Hero Plasma Vice, two formidable Elemental Hero fusion monsters. He also had one card face-down.

Meanwhile, Adam's field was devoid of monsters, although he had two unknown face-downs and a face-up Second Coin Toss on the field. Despite Dimitri's evident advantage, he seemed rather on edge while Adam maintained an impassive poker face. The life point deficit was also large – Dimitri had 2000 life points left while Adam had only 600.

"Alright, is that the end of your turn?" Adam asked casually.

"Yeah, it is. Man, I can never tell what you're thinking, Sugihara…it's starting to piss me off!" Dimitri spat.

" _Yeah, that's kinda the point dude. Seriously, it's hard to believe how worked up some of these people get over a silly card game, especially when nothing's at stake."_ Adam thought. Years of working in his father's game hall had taught him how to keep cool, especially in the middle of a game. Reputation and outward appearance can go a long way with an opponent's thought process. Giving the adversary any tells could spell the difference between victory and defeat.

In the crowd, Bastion watched the ongoing game with a cup of tea in hand. Jasmine was with him, gazing on with pursed lips and folded arms. The Ra Yellow prodigy found both Dimitri and Adam interesting duelists in their own right, and Adam's prolific use of chance-based cards made it impossible to predict the winner. Jasmine was kinda just tagging along.

Erin Reid was there as well, just passing through before she had to head to her next class. However, she looked notably disinterested in the proceedings. Something else was clearly on her mind. Idly, she played with her brown braided ponytail as she watched the duel.

Adam drew his next card. "Alright, I play **Roll of Fate**. I get to draw cards based on the roll of the dice, and then I must send an equal number of cards from the top of the deck to the graveyard." Adam always kept a dice and a coin on his person just in case, but the duel disk also had a random number generator for such card effects. A hologram of a dice appeared in the center of the battleground. It leapt and spun in the air for a few seconds before landing.

"A five!" Adam said, drawing the corresponding number of cards in his deck before sending an equal amount to the grave.

"Ugh, this kid always gets so lucky." Jasmine said under her breath.

"Indeed. But he's no cheater, that luck is all natural. That's why it's rather difficult to get a formula down for his deck…maybe observing further will help me in this endeavor!" Bastion was scribbling down complex equations on a notepad as he watched. Jasmine let out a bored groan.

"You know, you're lucky you're cute." She muttered.

"Sorry, what did you say? I didn't hear you." Bastion turned his attention to her.

"Nothing, Bastion." She said, fighting back a smile.

"I play my first trap card, **Proton Blast**! Once per turn, I can activate a series of effects depending on the number of heads I get on a coin flip effect." Adam declared.

"Next, I'll summon **Twin-Barrel Dragon (1700/200)** in attack mode." A mechanical raptor-sized mech took the field, its mouth also functioning as a double-barreled shotgun. Its blue plate shone in the sunlight.

"When this card is summoned, I get to flip two coins, and if it gets two heads, I can destroy one of your monsters. Let's see what we get." Two large coin holograms appeared on the battlefield.

"I'm good, there's only a twenty-five percent chance he gets the result he wants." Dimitri said to himself. "Even with the Second Coin Toss, the odds are still in my favor."

Luckily, Adam understood that the smaller odds he had, the more likely he was to succeed – that's how it usually worked. Sadly, he only got one heads out of two the first time around. "Alright, I activate Second Coin Toss to re-flip." He said coolly.

The crowd traced the path of the coin flips with their eyes. This time, both coins landed heads up.

"This is such bullshit!" Dimitri cursed as the Twin-Barrel Dragon let loose a gunshot. Plasma Vice was blown apart by the blast, causing a large explosion to momentarily obscure Dimitri's side of the field.

"And since I got two heads, my trap activates and gives me two shots. With the first, I'll deal 500 points of damage to ya." In very Yusuke-esque fashion, Adam made finger guns. He made a faux shooting motion as another cannon blast shot through the smoke and found its mark. **(Adam 600/Dimitri 1500)**

"And since I got a second heads, I can also destroy a card on your side of the field." The smoke steadily began to clear as Adam explained his card's effect. Dimitri looked none too pleased, but his troubles weren't over yet. With his other hand, Adam formed a finger gun and pointed at Elemental Hero Wild Wingman.

"Fire." A hole suddenly appeared in the Wild Wingman's body, and it collapsed on the ground before shattering into a storm of holographic particles.

"And since it looks like your side is clear, I'll attack directly with Twin-Barrel Dragon and call it a game. Unless you have a response, that is?" Adam said calmly as his dragon took aim. With another bang, it shot at Dimitri head on.

"Not this time! I activate **Mirror Force** , destroying your attacking monster!" A white wall of energy shielded Dimitri from the kinetic force of the dragon's shot. Then, the wall of energy rushed towards the Twin-Barrel Dragon, using its own power against it and destroying it.

"Welp," Adam shrugged. "Looks like I gotta bring out the big gun. I activate my second trap, **Call of the Haunted**. With this, I'll summon back the **Blowback Dragon (2300/1200)** that you sent to the grave earlier."

The machine that emerged from the ground looked similar to the Twin-Barrel Dragon, but was much larger and had a pale red coat of paint on its shining chassis. The three-barreled blaster on its head charged up an energy blast.

"Better luck next time!" Adam chuckled as his monster's attack knocked Dimitri on his ass. **(Adam 600/Dimitri 0)**

The crowd clapped politely, enjoying Adam's unfazed nature and understated showmanship. It was like he was the house dealer, and Dimitri was yet another unlucky patron of his casino.

"This is so stupid! You just rely on stupid coin flip and dice effects! You must be cheating, there's no other explanation for this!" Dimitri complained childishly, banging his fist on the hard ground.

Brushing some of his long black hair out of his eyes, Adam shrugged. "You know, whining is always a bad look. I lose a lot with this deck, but I don't let it get to me. This is how I have fun dueling." He smiled casually. "The anticipation as I watch coin flips and dice rolls is a hell of a rush. If I were to cheat, that rush would be taken away." Adam cleared his throat and spoke up so that the crowd could hear him clearly.

"Besides, the duel disks were designed with anti-cheating measures in mind. And I think Seto Kaiba's R&D team knows a little more about tech than you. If you have concerns, take it up with him." He finished. Adam hated any rumors of cheating – it completely went against the point of a good gamble.

" _And Kaiba knows all about being a sore loser."_ Adam chuckled to himself, knowing better than to voice such an opinion aloud. He remembered watching Kaiba's legendary match with Yugi in the Battle City finals as a kid. Even back then, it was embarrassing watching Kaiba practically have an existential crisis over losing a card game. Yugi's calm and assured command of the situation, on the other hand, was incredible to him back then – it was like Yugi knew that he was destined to win.

Ever since that day, Adam aspired to be like Yugi, to have that sort of confident and adaptable demeanor that the King of Games effortlessly posessed. Something told him that Yugi had even more luck than he did in some respects. _"Unless he really was destined to win…bah, no way!"_ Adam laughed internally.

"There has to be a perfect deck out there…maybe I'll try copying Lancaster's deck next!" Dimitri murmured.

Adam laughed. "Try it, that'd be good for a laugh." With that, he took his leave, putting on his Ra Yellow blazer. The crowd dispersed as well, off to class or the common areas. Dimitri scampered back to his room, doubtlessly in the midst of hatching his next ridiculous netdecking strategy.

"That was a bloody splendid endeavor, Adam. I must say, apart from Jaden I've never had such a hard time studying someone's deck." Bastion nodded at him from the porch. Jasmine and Erin gave him friendly waves as well. Adam ambled up the stairs and joined them on the patio.

"Thanks, but there's not a lot to it, Bastion. It's just a coin flip deck." Adam replied.

"Oh you sly fellow, you're just saying that to hide your real secret technique! There must be some formula to your deck, and I will figure it out!" The mathematician declared to the heavens as Jasmine facepalmed.

"Whatever you say, man." Adam said. _"He sure likes to overthink things…I figured getting a girlfriend would bring him down to some semblance of normalcy. If anything, it looks like Jasmine's just getting caught up in his harebrained schemes…"_ The gambling duelist mused.

"I'm sorry about him, he's been even weirder than usual ever since he got his first A minus on a history test last week." Jasmine apologized, seeming exasperated in the way a wife would get at her husband.

"No sweat, my grades would probably slip a little if I had to worry about fighting super-powered villains. Speaking of which, I hear that Alexis is getting released from the hospital today!" Adam responded.

"Oh I know! I can't wait to see her back in class! She's seemed a lot happier lately, even in that hospital bed. Having her brother back has done a world of good." Jasmine gushed. It was clear that she idolized the Queen of Obelisk.

"It's good to see her recovering." Bastion tried to appear stoic, but he seemed quite happy as well. As if on cue, three pairs of eyes turned on Erin, who had been noticeably quiet up to this point.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm glad to hear it. This way, Rhodes and I can finish our duel." Erin said, although it lacked her usual passion.

"Well, I guess you can try it!" Jasmine said passive-aggressively. Bastion and Adam froze, both knowing when two girls were about to engage in verbal combat.

Erin, however, didn't care much for the "passive" part of the term "passive-aggressive."

"If you want the measure of my skills, then we can duel right here. I don't mind being late for class." Erin challenged directly.

Jasmine's eyes widened. "Uhh…um…hey Bastion, I think I forgot something back in Crowler's class." The orange-haired girl dragged a confused Bastion along by the hand.

"Oh, ok! See you later, friends!" The socially inept genius chuckled nervously as he was being drug along the ground.

Adam looked after them. _"Smooth move. Those two's social skills probably aren't as far as apart as Jasmine would like to pretend."_

The Chinese duelist turned around to speak to Erin. "Heh, can't blame you for that one. Not sure how Bastion deals with her."

"Rhodes is one thing, but I'm not taking any shit from the groupies." Was Erin's short response.

"Woah, are you upset about something? You're edgy today." Adam said with concern. He and Erin went to the same middle school, although they were never close. Still, they knew each other well enough to speak without filter.

Erin's stormy blue eyes calmed down, and she gave Adam an apologetic look. _"She's a lot cuter when she isn't getting worked up about something. For a surfer, she's not very chilled."_ Adam thought. He instinctively kept up a running mental commentary at times – it was a trait he always had.

"It's not a big deal, Sugihara. It's just that people can be so weird sometimes. It sucks when you think you someone really well, but in reality you don't know them at all." She said sadly.

Adam didn't have to stare at his garage wall smoking a cigarette to figure out that she was talking about Lancaster. "I know what you mean. Sometimes we may never learn who a person really is. But that doesn't mean they aren't worth getting to know." He said. He was horrible with life advice, but something in him sympathized with Erin. Adam supposed that he was curious about a lot of Jamie's more mysterious qualities as well.

Erin smiled. "Yeah…maybe when things settle down a bit, I can start to figure some things out." Behind that graceful smile, there was a coquettish and intelligent gleam in her eyes. Adam found that Erin's independence and analytical nature made her highly unlike other girls her age. She and Lancaster were alike in that respect.

Adam nodded and she went on her way, not having much to say to him. "Never a dull moment around here…" He murmured as he grabbed his bag and went to class.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXX

(Jamie Lancaster (My) POV)

I only slept for a few hours, despite my tiredness. Still, it was a good thing – this way, I could attempt to get my sleep schedule back on track. I had already missed all of my classes today, but I planned to explain my absence to Sheppard and Crowler later today.

Rolling out of bed was difficult – these Obelisk beds truly were amazing – but I managed it. I sent a group message to my fellow heroes (it was odd to think myself as a hero, still) and went to eat while waiting for responses.

For the first time in a while, I found myself alone with my thoughts – an undesirable state of affairs. I was much better at being in the thick of the action, where the past and future melted away. I always messed things up when I overthought them.

I grabbed some food from the dining hall and ate it mindlessly while last night's events whipped through my mind. Camula was a dangerous and seductive siren – certainly not a weak foe. And yet, the Melodious Divas took her down with great ease. Finally using those cards made me a lot more confident in my chances against the numerous evils that plagued this world.

And yet, Kagemaru's attitude during the proceedings troubled me. One of his most powerful minions was being picked apart before his eyes, and yet he didn't seem perturbed at all. In fact, his interest was piqued. He got a firsthand view of my full power, and was surely devising a way to counteract the Divas at this very moment.

Things sure would have been a lot easier if Camula was the only one there…then there would be no witnesses. The more people knew about the Melodious cards, the sooner that my secret would be revealed. Should I have held back and used my public deck? No, nothing should be left to chance against people who want you dead.

Well, what's done is done. Now I had to start thinking of an explanation for why I have cards that no one else does. But would telling the truth really be such a bad thing?

My fleeting, unfocused thoughts were distracted by the sound of my phone's text alert. Good, everyone was open to meeting at five o' clock in Sheppard's office. It felt a little dirty knowing that Crowler has my contact information, but these are the sacrifices we must make to keep the peace.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Sure enough, everyone showed up on time. Adam and Erin, along with Syrus, were allowed into the meeting as well, considered honorary key keepers. Chumley had an evening art class to attend, and would probably not interested in these sorts of proceedings anyhow.

Jaden was the last to show up. This in itself was not a surprise, as he was not known for his punctuality. What was shocking though was his weary expression. He hadn't looked this bad since that day he had to do detention with Rosewood. Purple bags underlined his eyes, which were much less joyful than usual. At the sight of his friends, however, he perked up and showed his usual boyish smile. It was hard to tell how much of it was genuine though. The others scarcely seemed to notice these signs, but I was familiar with that look of his – a grin that hid a terrible burden.

Seeing Jaden like this was troubling. Part of what made his character development rather effective in canon was that the viewer saw the destruction of his childlike innocence over a protracted period of time. He eventually recovered from his trauma and became a functioning adult, but still, there was something lost there. Of course, he would have to grow up eventually, but I would prefer if that allowed him to retain at least some part of his impish openness.

Alexis, on the other hand, was looking healthy and strong. Her hair was growing back nicely, almost to its original length. Her presence bolstered the group tremendously – it showed resilience in the face of our foes.

Sheppard coughed to get everyone's attention. Without Kaiba breathing down his neck, he seemed a bit more secure in his "role of leadership".

"Good evening everyone, it is good to see you all in good health. Especially you, miss Rhodes." Everyone briefly clapped in celebration, Alexis blushing under the praise.

"But I believe in the interests of time, I will allow mister Lancaster the floor." Everyone's eyes turned on me, each showing varying levels of curiosity.

"Yeah, I had a bit of a wild night last night." I withdrew the bronze choker from my jeans pocket and placed it on Sheppard's desk. "The third of the Shadow Riders has been defeated."

"Impossible! So soon after the last two?" Crowler gasped. I don't know why these anime characters always describe clearly happening events as impossible. Kind of reminds me of Princess Bride.

"Woah, way to go Jamie!" Jaden cheered. "That's gotta be a shadow charm!"

Surprised expressions occurred all around, with the obvious exception of Alexis. Zane shook his head. "To attack in the middle of the night…these people have no honor."

"Yeah, you said it bro!" Syrus piped up.

"Huh?" Zane looked around in confusion until he finally saw Syrus hiding behind Adam's leg. "Oh sorry, didn't see you there Syrus. Did you say something?"

"Uhh…no…" The poor kid murmured. I bit back a laugh. I liked Zane, but he could be a real bastard to his brother sometimes. The worst part was that it didn't even seem be intentional. Then again, I've never had a brother so I couldn't speak with experience on such matters.

"Tell us the story from the beginning." Bastion beckoned.

"Yeah, sounds like a good one." Erin grinned.

And so I did. Obviously I excluded some details such as what deck I was using for example, but the important parts were kept in.

"So, the keys really can't leave the island…at least they can't for very long." Bastion said.

"It's a shame that the leader escaped…but I have to wonder why he was even there in the first place. Seems like an unneeded risk." Erin spoke up.

"Wish I knew the answer." I responded. I actually did know the answer, but obviously I'm not trying to tell them what it is.

"Kagemaru...how far you have fallen. The fact that our own superintendent is behind all this is truly troubling. How many years have I been playing into this man's hands!?' Sheppard held his head in his hands.

"With respect, Headmaster, Kagemaru appears to have covered his tracks well. Why he would reveal his name to mister Lancaster is beyond me, but it is a mistake that will cost him. We must inform mister Kaiba at once." Crowler said with an assured voice. Not for the first time, he appeared to be a much more capable leader than Sheppard. It wasn't hard to imagine why he would ascend to the Headmaster position at the end of this year in canon. He will surely do so here as well.

"He will be furious, to be certain. But it must be done. Mister Kaiba will be coming to the island in four days with the new chemistry teacher. I will let him know then – this sort of information should be exchanged in person." Sheppard warbled, but suddenly turned hopeful as he considered a new possibility. "I suppose a new superintendent will need to be hired as well."

We all nodded. The implication behind the statement was certainly clear to me. I wasn't exactly a fan of this, as I found Sheppard to be a rather easily misled man. Then again, he would be probably just be a total instrument of Kaiba's will in the superintendent position, rather than the meager allotment of autonomy he possessed now. Maybe it would be for the best.

"In the meantime, there are only four Shadow Riders remaining. We still have six keys on our hands, so the outlook is favorable. The only thing to do is to stay ready. Now that they've lost three assassins in quick succession, the Shadow Riders will surely be more careful than they have been." Zane, the unofficial leader of the key keepers, said.

"Deception, disguise, manipulation – they will no doubt use some of the softer forms of power in an attempt to gain advantage. Sadly for them, they must eventually fight us head on, and that's a fight they don't want." I chimed in. At first, I thought that all of this speculation was very boring – the Shadow Riders were not worthy enough opponents to merit such hemming and hawing now that Banner was gone. But this timeline was not the same as the canon one, and the remaining assassins might have some tricks up their collective sleeves.

"The one that abducted me had the ability to turn into a bat." I finished.

"These foes all seem bizarre in their own way. I'm impressed that you managed to emerge victorious from this encounter, mister Lancaster." Sheppard praised.

"Yeah, sounds totally tubular!" Jaden added.

Alexis snickered in a rather un-ladylike fashion. "Yeah, now tell them what happened after the key transported you back."

"I immediately left the hospital wing, returned to my dorm, and went to sleep." I responded too quickly, looking downward.

"Right, but something happened before that." She prodded on. Everyone looked between us in varying degrees of curiosity.

I sighed. "I vomited after I got there. The huge special displacement really messed with me."

Dead silence. Alexis kept laughing, but everyone else was blank-faced. "Oh, I suppose that makes sense. Sorry that happened to ya, Jamie." Adam said.

"Yeah, I was kinda expecting something funnier. That wasn't very funny." Jaden shrugged.

Alexis shook her head. "Guess you had to be there."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

And so, things went normally (relatively speaking) for the next few weeks. February blurred into March, and the monsoons began to pick up as we moved into the rainy season. Overcast skies lasted for days on end, sometimes punctuated by intense torrents of rain. The sea churned an ugly iron grey. For a few hours at a time, clear skies would break through, and rainbows would frame the sky until the rain returned.

Luckily, this was the worst the island weather ever got. Still, it was odd that the worst part of our year was happening as the rest of the northern hemisphere was emerging into Spring. This time of year was always tinged with anticipation or trepidation, it seems.

When I was by myself, Sonata would infrequently pop in and we would talk about silly things. Most of the time though, I enjoyed reading a book or sipping a cup of coffee while the monsoons rattled the windows. It was a nice break from things. I knew that I should think and plan more about my next move, but since the Shadow Riders would necessarily confront us, there was little to plan in the immediate time frame.

One Monday morning, I went down to the commons and found a letter in my inbox. My excitement flared as I saw the Kaiba Corporation logo on the seal. Hastily, I sat down and opened the envelope.

 _To mister Jamie Lancaster,_

 _Thank you for your interest in the KaibaCorp summer internship program! We are happy to inform that you have been selected to interview for a position in this prestigious summer program for students! We have screened hundreds of applicants for the program, but have ultimately selected only twenty to continue on in the interview process. To even continue this far is much to be proud of!_

 _We understand and respect that many applicants are attending a duel academy at this time, and thus cannot easily come to Domino City for an interview during the semester. To this end, the interview will take place on June 1, nine days after the end of the duel academy spring term. We hope that this will provide applicants with enough time to come to Domino City for the formal interview at the KC Tower._

 _We hope to see you there!_

Enclosed in the rest of the message were directions to the KaibaCorp headquarters as well as the contact information of the company's recruitment chair.

The letter confirmed nothing, it was merely offering me a chance to actually achieve something. But still, knowing that I was one of twenty chosen out of hundreds of people was heartening. The idea of gaining work experience working at one of the largest companies in this dimension was amazing. This letter promised adventure and prosperity, to those with the ability to grasp it.

Once again, I found myself devoting thought to what would become of my life beyond the events of canon.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

In two hours, Bastion and Jasmine caught me as I was leaving Crowler's class. There was hardly anyone in class today for some reason…Crowler himself seemed unaware as to why. I was sure that some sort of canon event was the cause of this, but my excitement about the letter overrode those thoughts.

Anyways, I was trying to find Bastion as well before he found me – I could have done without Jasmine, to be sure. The letter in his hand, as well as the beaming expression on his face, answered all of my questions.

I smiled back, holding up my own letter. "Me too, Bastion."

"That's bloody fantastic! Congratulations, Jamie!" He clapped me on the back in an uncharacteristic display of chumminess. Jasmine looked upon Bastion with genuine affection – she seemed truly happy for him. Although Jasmine disliked me (and the feeling was mutual), that little detail was heartwarming.

"Can't believe the two of us were picked out of hundreds of applicants. Feels like getting the Hogwarts letter, doesn't it?" I cracked a joke. Jasmine nearly laughed, but because I was the one telling the joke, she caught herself just in time.

Bastion looked confused. "Hogwarts? What is that?"

"It's from Harry Potter." Jasmine rolled her eyes.

"Oh, that? I can't really get into fiction books. But there is something rather magical about this, is there not?" He chuckled.

"Indeed. But something tells me that the interview is going to be tough. Kaiba isn't known for taking it easy in any regard." I warned. This was a rather odd role reversal – he was being clever and I cautious.

Bastion sobered slightly at that. "You're right. And considering how eccentric Kaiba is, this interview is sure to be unusual. I wouldn't be surprised if we had to duel the interviewers."

"Crazy part is, you're probably right." I grimaced. As long as we don't have to duel Kaiba himself, then it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Even if Bastion and I teamed up, we probably wouldn't be able to win against Kaiba unless I was using the Melodious Divas. I mean the guy was able to summon Obelisk the Tormentor and the card wasn't even in his deck at the time! Who knows what sort of plot armor he has?

"Jasmine will be staying with my family for the week of the interview. She's never been to Domino City before. I just hope that we are able to leave the island then." Bastion explained.

"We'll beat these Shadow Riders before then, I'm sure. Well, I hope you both have a good time." I said diplomatically. "Pretty convenient that we both live in the city. Traveling to Kaiba Corp shouldn't be a problem."

"Maybe we'll run into you, Lancaster." Jasmine eyed me with a curious expression. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but something tells me it was nothing but trouble.

"Yeah, maybe." I replied. "I guess getting kidnapped by the monkey wasn't such a bad thing after all. Seems to have panned out rather well." I couldn't resist being an asshole around her.

"Yeah yeah, Let's go, Bastion." She rolled her eyes at me and made to drag my former roommate along, as she always does. Before she could do that, however, Bastion's phone rang. The ringtone was the Hell's Kitchen theme song, so I got a feeling that Zane was the one calling. Good to know I'm not the only one who likes to use cheeky ringtones every now and then.

"Hello?" Bastion answered. I strained to her what Zane was saying on the other line, but I couldn't hear him. "You don't think that it's a…well, there's only one way to find out. Yes, I'm with Jamie and Jasmine. We'll get there straightaway, I believe we're all done with class for the day." From just his half of the conversation, I could get a feeling for what was going on.

Bastion pocketed his phone at looked at me with a mixture of anticipation and dread. "Zane says that he's found something odd in the northwestern woods."

"What was he doing in there?" I asked.

"No clue, but he said, and I quote, that we will not believe the kind of bullshit that's happening this time."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Zane dropped a pin that let each of us know where he was in the woods. On the way, we met up with the rest of the group, with the exception of Crowler and Adam. I knew that Crowler would still be teaching his last classes of the day, and I assumed that Adam was either at class or work. That left myself, Bastion, Jasmine, Erin, Alexis, Jaden, and Syrus.

"Well, it has been a couple of weeks. I suppose the peace couldn't last." Alexis grumbled, but I think she was secretly glad to be back in the action, especially after such a long term in the hospital wing.

"Looks like Zane found a Shadow Rider. I wonder if he'll let me handle this one…" Jaden, on the other hand, made no secret of his glee at a new challenge.

"Umm, maybe I'm bugging out here, but was there always a huge coliseum in the middle of the woods around here?" Erin asked a rather pressing question. As we made our way into the quarry at the forest's edge, a roman-style arena rose in the distance, its tan stone contrasting with the muddy browns and greens of the woods.

"Yeah, I don't remember that either." As I said that, the memories came rushing back. Oh brother, time for the effing Tania storyline. For the love of Ra, don't let Bastion duel her this time! Then again, Bastion already has a girlfriend in this timeline…so maybe he wouldn't be thinking with his dick as much in this particular encounter.

Eh, no need to risk it. Jaden, Zane, or I could handle this, and hopefully without any trouble afterwards. I knew that Tania was one of the least malicious of the Seven Stars. Perhaps if the situation was handled correctly, then we could create an ally here…and hopefully Bastion could avoid having his pelvis crushed in the process. I shuddered.

"This thing must have been built extremely recently, and yet this block looks extremely old." As we approached the coliseum doors, I took note of the weathered stone that comprised the structure. "Not to mention that the recent rains would make building this monstrosity even more difficult."

We looked up and saw that this thing was at least five stories tall. "How bizarre." Alexis commented drolly. We were all starting to get used to bizarre things at this point, with the notable exception of Jasmine, who was looking more and more flabbergasted by the minute.

"Where is Zane?" Bastion pondered. Jaden tilted his head towards the entrance with a smile. He was looking a little better-rested since the last time I saw him, and for now I put the oddity from my mind.

The coliseum entrance was surprisingly long, and as we got closer, we heard the din of a massive group of people. We exited the other side of the gate to find dozens of students working on the construction of bleachers. From the looks of things, the project was nearly finished. Considering how little construction experience these kids must have had, either they were prodigies or their efforts were being assisted through some sort of dark magic. I couldn't help but suspect the latter.

The only student who wasn't throwing his back out was Zane, who was leaning against the wall. He nodded to us as we arrived. "Glad you could make it. She wants an audience for this."

"Who-" Before Bastion could even begin his question, the sound of a tiger's roar caused us all to freeze. From the opposite entrance, a white tiger with black stripes bounded into the arena. It wore a gold collar around its neck and had a scar over its right eye. The students working on this project did not seem perturbed by this, however.

"Oh, hell no!" Jasmine yelped ungracefully as she turned tail. The rest of us followed, scampering up nearby pillars like they were the ropes from gym class. The tiger playfully pawed at the pillar's base. Zane shook his head in bemusement.

"Zane, what are you doing?! That tiger's gonna have you for an afternoon snack if you get out of its way!" Syrus squealed.

Suddenly, the tiger let out a very human-like laugh. Then, in Animorphs-like fashion, it transformed into the shape of a human. This shouldn't have been a surprise, as Camula had a similar transformation. However, my fear of large animals rushing directly towards me overwhelmed such thought processes at the time.

After a few seconds, the tiger became a woman, and a clothed one at that. I wonder how the hell that works – the tiger certainly wasn't wearing clothes before, but whatever. The woman was tall and muscled, far more so than any of us. Erin was of a similar skin tone and eye color, but this woman's muscles were far larger than hers. I was pretty sure one of her biceps is larger than Syrus' head. And probably mine too, for that matter. Still, it was rather funny that she was a literal crazy cat lady.

Long russet hair was tied into a ponytail. Her ears were unusually sharp, and she wore a tight tan tube top with baggy cargo pants. A custom-made duel disk was attached to her black-gloved hand. "It's just a prank, bro." She said in a deep, but oddly friendly, tone.

"T-that tiger just turned into a woman." Bastion observed dumbly. I'm sure that he had no rational explanation for the events occurring before his eyes – he hardly ever did, come to think of it. He didn't even notice a large orange tiger slink by him and take its place by the mysterious woman's side.

"You guys, the shadow rider I faced had the same power, although she turned into a bat." I informed. "Looks like we've found our foe."

The woman scoffed at me before turning her back to us. "Oh boys! Come down and collect your paychecks! Thanks for building such a splendid coliseum!" From nowhere, she procured Academy-embossed envelopes with checks inside them. The foolish students working on the project rushed down to grab their reward.

"Those envelopes…she got those checks from the island's bank!" I chuckled. This was getting sillier by the second. "Our security system sucks!"

The lemmings – I mean my fellow students predictably scampered off after they got their checks, unaware that a battle for their very survival was about to take place. I'm guessing roughly zero percent of that paycheck is going into savings too, if you catch my drift.

"Now then…" At last, she faced us once again, straight-backed and proud. "My name is Tania, and I am the strongest member of the Amazonian tribes, as well as one of the Seven Stars."

I was never quite sure how surprised to act in situations like these, so I tried my best to mirror Zane's expression of stoicism. "Alright, now pull the other one." Jaden fired back.

"Is it really so hard to believe that Amazons exist, key keeper? Weren't you the one who defeated Lyman Banner, a homunculus?" Tania parried. Jaden shrugged and accepted it.

"Amazons…a tribe of exclusively female warriors who live in the Mediterranean. They are said to have a singular focus on combat in the classical myths…although I suppose they aren't myths any more." Bastion recited from his history texts.

"Hey, they don't sound so bad!" Erin half-joked.

"Glad you think so, sister." Tania said with a odd wink. Erin raised an eyebrow, not sure how to take that statement.

"Well, I'm glad that Kagemaru is a equal-opportunity employer at least. So, I assume you're here to take our keys." Alexis surmised, crossing her arms.

"Huh? Oh yes, I suppose. But mainly, I am here to find a man." She explained. Jaden scratched his head, Bastion sputtered, Zane sighed, and I smirked.

"What do you mean by that? Why can't you duel a girl?" Jaden asked naively.

"You see, my island's tribe is composed of all women, and so in order to procreate, each of us must eventually venture out into the outside world, find a man, and use him for snu-snu." Tania posited calmly.

Bastion's eyes widened. "Oh bollocks."

Zane couldn't help but chuckle at the euphemism, and for that matter neither could I. If they had television on Amazon Island, Tania might enjoy a certain episode of Futurama.

"Snu-snu? That sounds funny, but I don't get it." Jaden laughed. "Snu-snu, snu-snu…"

"She means fucking, Jaden." I said dryly.

"Ohhhhhh….oh."

"Yeah." An awkward silence ensued.

"So naturally, I cannot duel a female." Tania didn't seem perturbed at all, gazing upon us with the patience of a tiger waiting for the right time to pounce on its prey. "So, this is what passes for men these days…how unfortunate. I would search for a more worthy specimen, but my boss requires that I take your keys, and that can only be done in a duel. So which of you will fight me?"

Alexis frowned, and made to protest. However, an unexpected voice interrupted her. "Don't rush into a fight, Rhodes. You just got out of the hospital." Erin cautioned.

Alexis looked behind her, hazel eyes clashing with blue ones. "I didn't realize it mattered that much to you."

"I'm not wrong, am I?" was all the surfer responded with. "Besides, it doesn't look like this Amazon chick is having it. Just have faith in your friends."

Alexis wanted to argue, but found that she couldn't. She didn't look pleased to agree with Erin, but stood back nonetheless.

"Well?" A hint of impatience crept into Tania's tone.

"Ooh, pick me, pick me! I want snu-snu!" Syrus jumped up and down.

Tania rolled her eyes. "While I appreciate your enthusiasm, I need a key keeper, and preferably one who I couldn't break in two."

Syrus curled up in the fetal position while the rest of the men lined up for selection. He had to be carried to the bleachers by Erin, who slung him over her shoulders like a burlap sack. I stood next to Jaden, Bastion, and Syrus with folded arms and a challenging grin.

"I certainly wouldn't mind going a few rounds with you." I propositioned. Alexis and Erin looked rather affronted at this idea for some reason.

Tania gauged their reaction, then looked to me. "Hmm…I don't think so. My master told me that I am not to engage you, Jamie Lancaster. He wants you for himself."

"If you ever see him again, tell him to bring it." I taunted and stood back. Alexis and Erin breathed a sigh of relief behind me.

"Well, for the sake of defending the island, I suppose I could step forward and face this threat-" Bastion said with faux nobility before Jasmine pulled at his ear.

"Yeah, don't even think about it. Sorry lady, but Bastion's off the market." Jasmine declared, leaving no room for argument. Even Tania had to take a step back with her hands up at Jasmine's tempestuous nature.

That left Jaden and Zane. "Not gonna lie Zane, this looks like it's gonna be a really fun fight. Can I take this one?" The red-clad boy pleaded.

Zane took a sidelong glance at Tania. "Believe it or not, I was thinking the same thing. And you know what that means…"

As if on cue, the Kaiser and the Hero duelist placed fist over palm. "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" They each thrust forth the symbol for rock, and went again.

"You've got to be kidding me…I never thought I would catch the great Kaiser of all people playing rock paper scissors with a Slifer…" Erin facepalmed.

Alexis giggled. "Oh Zane, I'm starting to think he's been rubbing off on you."

The second time around, Jaden predictably chose rock again, while Zane had the foresight to choose paper. "Aw, shoot!" Jaden pouted, but accepted the loss.

Zane gazed appreciatively at his open palm. "Heh, still got it." But as he looked at Tania, any mirth vanished from his face, leaving a calm, blank visage. His game face was on.

"Well, I'm glad to see that some of you on the outside appreciate a good battle." Tania activated her duel disk. "And you're over six feet tall, so that makes you a viable candidate for my affections."

When Zane said nothing in response, she continued with, "Ah, the great Kaiser. I hear you're the strongest duelist at this school. Or is that Jamie Lancaster? I can never quite tell." I merely smiled blandly at her, and Zane betrayed no emotion at this jibe.

"Wait and see." Was all he responded with as he turned his own duel disk on.

"Not much of a shit-talker, eh? That's fine. We'll get to the action after you answer one more question." She grinned and held out two decks, one in each hand. "In my left hand is my deck of knowledge – in the right is my deck of power. I would like you to choose which one I will use."

After a moment's thought, Zane answered, "Power." She nodded and put away the knowledge deck. Probably a good choice – Zane's deck specialized in overwhelming force, not maneuvering around traps. The Kaiser won the next round of roshambo, and elected to go second as he always does.

"The battle begins!" Tania declared, as though this were some kind of ritual. "I'll start by summoning **Amazoness Swords Woman (1500/1600).** Then, I'll set two cards and end my turn." A similarly buff woman with long brown hair and a blunt broadsword took the field, glaring daggers at Zane. For his part, the Kaiser looked unimpressed.

"So how long do you think this is gonna take?" Jaden asked casually as we sat in the bleachers.

"Might end next turn if Zane has all the cards he needs." Erin responded.

"An Amazoness deck has a few tricks that might give him a bit of trouble. The Swordswoman will prevent this being an OTK at any rate. It has the ability to reflect any battle damage back Zane's way. He'll want to destroy it with a card effect." I decided to throw Tania a bone. Of course, the eventual outcome of the duel was never in doubt. It was only a matter of when.

Zane appeared to have drawn a good starting hand. "Since you have a monster on my field and I do not, I can special summon **Cyber Dragon (2100/1600)** from my hand." The silver serpent looked rather out of place in the old-school arena, its chrome coat gleaming in the sunlight.

"That's how it starts." Syrus observed.

"Ah yes, the Cyber Legacy. Come on then, show me how strong the famous Cyber Dragon is." Tania beckoned.

Zane made his next move knowing of the Swordswoman's effect. "I activate the spell card **Evolution Burst**. If I have a Cyber Dragon on the field, I can target one card on the field and destroy it at the cost of Cyber Dragon not being able to attack. I choose to destroy your Swords Woman." Zane explained calmly. The Cyber Dragon charged up strident blue energy from its mouth and shot it as a laser. The amazoness was vaporized by the attack, leaving Tania's field clear.

"With my normal summon, I play **Cyber Phoenix (1200/1600)**." A mechanical avian descended from the sky, red fuel flowing through its veins. Unfazed by her face-downs, Zane continued. "Cyber Phoenix, attack directly."

The firebird launched a stream of fire from its beak, striking Tania dead on. It was clear, however, that she let the attack go through. **(Zane 4000/Tania 2800)**

The Shadow Rider skid along the ground for about twelve feet, the direct attack clearly causing pain. Zane raised an eyebrow. "Hey, I thought you said this wasn't a shadow game!" Syrus accused.

With a grunt, Tania performed a handspring to get back on her feet, causing raised eyebrows among us all. "Well, I suppose that wasn't entirely accurate…the loser of this game will not lose their life, it's true. However, we will still feel the effects of battle, for the thrill of it. I shall not have it any other way!" She grinned with battle lust, but Zane remained stoic.

"Oh come on, doesn't the prospect of a real fight excite you? No husband of mine will be a weakling!" She taunted. I knew that the prospect actually did excite Zane from experience, but he did not wish to show it in front of this enemy. Still, the glimmer in his eye gave him away.

"I set a card and end my turn."

"Hmm, let's see…I will begin my turn by activating the field spell **Amazoness Arena**!" A steel-wrought cage materialized around the two combatants, keeping the spectators, as well as Tania's tiger, firmly away from the action. It reminded me disturbingly of Zane's underground duels, the fights that sent him down the dark path he went down in canon.

Luckily, circumstances would hopefully prevent that from happening here. He had some familiarity with losing to me in our practice matches, so I would hope the feeling of defeat wouldn't be so traumatizing to him in this timeline. But still, losing here could have some horrible consequences for Zane.

"This field spell increases both of our life points by 600. And allows me to add an Amazoness monster from deck to hand." Tania explained as they each felt a momentary soothing panacea. **(Zane 4600/Tania 3400)**

"As for its other effects, you will see the next time we battle. For now, I summon **Amazoness Paladin (1700/300)** in attack mode." Another blonde femme fatale appeared, this one wielding a thin saber and garbed in tan drapes. "This warrior gains 100 attack points for every Amazoness on the field, including herself."

"Now you'll see what I mean! Attack Cyber Phoenix now!" The amazon lunged fearlessly at Zane's Cyber Phoenix. Zane paused, but allowed the attack to go through. His creature was sliced apart, the shrapnel landing all across the arena. **(Zane 4000/Tania 3400)**

"Oof!" Zane let out a grunt of surprise as he clutched his stomach, clearly winded. "You weren't kidding when you said the damage was real…but I won't let a trifle like that stop me. When Cyber Phoenix is destroyed by battle, I'm allowed to draw a card."

"I'm glad you're hard enough to handle this much at least, now let me test your resolve further. After either of finishes a battle, we each can activate the field spell. By paying 100 life points, we can inflict 100 points of damage to the other player." Tania explained.

"Doesn't seem like a particularly useful effect." Zane said dismissively.

Tania scoffed. "Bah! Not useful, you say! The battle is everything!" To the great shock of everyone but me, a clone of Tania suddenly appeared a few feet in front of her. No, it wasn't a clone – it was a mass of duel energy, the manifestation of her very soul.

"Woah!" Zane looked a bit queasy as a spirit-version of himself materialized as well.

"Now, we fight!" Without Zane's approval, his "soul" leapt into the air to meet Tania, both of the spirits quickly exchanging fisticuffs.

"This is so stupid." Alexis sighed.

"This is so cool!" Jaden and Erin thrilled.

"ATATATATATATATATA!" Tania shrieked as they traded blows.

"MUDAMUDAMUDAMUDA!" Zane responded in kind.

"God damn that is annoying. Why do they have to do that when they fight?" Jasmine ticked.

"If you don't like it, just watch the English dub." I replied without thinking.

"What?"

"What?"

Soon enough, Tania landed a right hook and sent Zane' soul flying back into his body. I would be very interesting in learning how exactly that feels, but now was not the time. **(Zane 3900/Tania 3300)**

Zane took a moment to catch his breath. He was in decent shape, but I doubted the Kaiser has ever been a real fistfight. And Tania was certainly not a slouch in the strength department. And yet, that glimmer in his eye was giving him away again…the pain made his blood stir.

My turn isn't finished yet! I activate the trap card **Queen's Pawn**! When an Amazoness destroys a monster by battle, I can special summon a level four or lower Amazoness from the deck. Come forth, **Amazoness Tiger (1100/1500)**!"

Suddenly, the tiger that accompanied Tania earlier vanished and reappeared in the arena, baring its fangs at Zane. "Woah, did you guys see that?" Alexis gaped.

"Must be a duel spirit!" Jaden grinned.

"This little kitty gains 400 attack points for each, including itself. Plus, my paladin gains another hundred points." This put the tiger and the paladin at 1900 each. "And along with that, when the tiger is on the field, you cannot attack other Amazoness monsters. Now then, its your turn." Tania finished her move, but noticed that Zane was still clutching his chest from the last strike.

"Oh come on, don't tell me that the warmup has tired you out! Perhaps my assessment of you was mistaken…" The shadow rider said with a note of disappointment.

But Zane stood tall, wiping a spot of blood from the side of his mouth. "Heh, for someone who claims to be all about action, you sure like to talk…but now that you mention it, I'm finished warming up as well." He said in a low, dangerous tone that I had never heard from him before.

"Hahaha, she is so screwed." Jaden laughed.

"While I would not have phrased it so crudely, I do believe you are right, Jaden." Bastion agreed. "What do you think, Jamie? After all, you have the most experience dueling him."

I rolled my eyes. Bastion had a knack for talking a lot and saying little. In fact, I think that stating the obvious with extreme frequency is part of the Yu-Gi-Oh side character job description. "Just watch."

Zane's cobalt eyes narrowed as he drew his next card. "I summon **Cyber Dragon Zwei (1500/1000)** in attack mode." This creature looked very similar to the original Cyber Dragon, but its jaw was more pointed than square, and green fuel coursed through its body.

"By revealing a spell card in my hand, this card's name becomes Cyber Dragon until the end of the turn." Zane flipped over a card in his hand, and Tania saw that it was Polymerization.

"Ah, I see." Tania smirked.

"Now, I fuse together the two Cyber Dragons to summon **Cyber Twin Dragon (2800/2100)**!" The double-headed hydra let out a harsh metallic cry, its heads the two heads of its fusion materials. Just this much was probably enough to win, but Tania's deck had plenty of traps, I was sure.

Zane wasn't in the mood for mincing words. "Attack with twin evolution burst!" The first head shot out a blazing beam of azure energy at the Amazoness Tiger.

"Shoot! I activate **Amazoness Archers**! When an Amazoness is attacked, all of your face-up monsters lose 500 attack points!" A band of female warriors appeared in front of Tania, each readying a bow. With only a few seconds to aim, they let loose a volley of arrows at Zane's dragon. The arrows sunk into the metal plating and clearly did some damage, but not enough to stop the attack. Sure enough, the tiger was destroyed. **(Zane 3900/Tania 2900)**

"And since you seem to like it so much, I'll use the arena's effect! Let's fight!" The two duelist's souls leapt out of their bodies and clashed once more. Angry, Tania let loose a barrage of fists. This time, however, Zane was prepared. The Kaiser weaved through the volley like he was a professional boxer. Once he was within range, he landed a nice uppercut to the chin. **(Zane 3800/Tania 2800)**

"There ya go, give her the ol one-two!" Erin cheered.

"And now, Cyber Twin Dragon can launch its second attack." the second head shot down the Amazoness Paladin, even with its weakened battle power. **(Zane 3800/Tania 2400)**

"One more time." Using the effect of the field spell, Zane kicked away Tania, and their souls returned to their bodies. **(Zane 3700/Tania 2300)**

The attack didn't do much damage compared to what Zane could normally dish out, but it was enough to basically blow away Tania's field advantage. She still had one face-down, though. "I end." Zane deferred.

Tania took a bit of a beating from that last exchange, but she was clearly still in fighting shape, a few scuffs the only sign of any damage.

"In that case, I'm done warming up as well!" Tania flexed, a vein appearing on her temple. Dark violet aura surrounded her body, and I could have sworn that her teeth seemed a little sharper than before. "I draw!"

The power exerted by the shadow rider sent gales of wind Zane's way, causing his hair to be blown around. Fittingly enough, the way his hair was sticking up made him look like a Super Saiyan. The neutral expression on his face never changed, though.

"I cast the spell **Card of Sanctity** , allowing us to replenish our hands!" Tania started off with that broken spell card. "You're not the only one who can fusion summon here! I activate **Polymerization**!"

"Hmm?" I didn't remember Amazon decks from this time period having fusion monsters. Then again, it was hard to keep track of which cards existed in this time period and which didn't. There were anime cards, a few modern cards, and everything in between.

"I fuse together Amazoness Queen with my Amazoness Blowpiper to fusion summon **Amazoness Empress (2800/2400)**!" A tribal drum played its beat as the most powerful of the Amazons took center stage. Her long, flowing white-blonde hair was covered by what looked to be the skull of some foreign animal. A crimson cape fluttered in the wind, and she wielded an enormous sword, only surpassed by the likes of Buster Blader.

"This is the culmination of the Amazon tribe's greatness – our martial prowess and undisputed power are exemplified in this one card!" Tania boasted.

"Ok." Said Zane.

"Grr…I'm not finished yet! I summon another Amazoness Swords Woman!" The other Amazon looked positively tiny next to the empress, but its effect still made it dangerous, especially against a duelist who uses monsters with high attack like Zane.

"Have you guys ever heard of that card before?" Alexis asked. "Because I haven't."

"Now that you mention it…I haven't either." Bastion commented. Hmm, interesting. That Empress might be one of a kind in the same way the Crystal Beasts are. The only question is who made that card and how did Tania get it?

"When this monster is on the field, other Amazons cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects. Furthermore, all Amazoness monsters inflict piercing damage! There's nowhere to hide!"

"So, your game is to keep crashing that Swords Woman against my Cyber Dragons so I'll take the damage, since she can't get destroyed any more." Zane surmised. If he hadn't seen this card before, he was certainly good at hiding his surprise.

"Right in one, Kaiser! Now, my Swordswoman will attack the Cyber Twin Dragon!" At the direction of her empress, the warrior rushed fearlessly towards the far superior machine. Predictably, it was blasted away. However, as she flew through the air, the Swordswoman flung her sword at Zane. The blade passed through Zane's body, and he grimaced as he felt a bolt of pain. **(Zane 2900/Tania 2300)**

"And now that we've battled again, the field spell activates!" Tania rushed towards Zane with a flying knee strike, striking his torso hard and hurling him to the ground. **(Zane 2800/Tania 2200)**

"Gosh, it's only a hundred life points, but it looks pretty painful!" Jasmine worried.

"The longer the fight goes on, the more of an advantage Tania has. It may be only a hundred life points, but those are real punches and kicks. I'm willing to be she can take a lot more physical punishment than he can. The more of those strikes he takes, the more likely it is that he might get really hurt." I speculated.

"It might interfere with his strategies, don't you think?" Jaden added.

Zane hissed in pain, but managed to get up just fine. Tania held back from attacking the weakened Cyber Twin Dragon with the Empress, most likely because of Zane's face-down card. Empress' protection effect did not protect herself.

"Interesting play. Will that be all?" Zane asked, and it was difficult to tell whether his politeness was genuine or not.

Tania twitched, clearly irritated by this remark. However, she managed to keep her cool. "Yes. Take your turn." She bit out, failing to replicate Zane's poise.

"Alright. It's time to end things here, I think." Zane said as though he was discussing going on a routine errand. "I summon **Cyber Dragon Core (400/1500)**." A larva-like creature with darker grey plate slithered onto the field, hard to spot next to the comparatively large Cyber Twin Dragon.

"When this monster is summoned, I can add a "Cyber" spell or trap from deck to hand. I choose to add **Cyber Repair Plant** to my hand, which I will then activate." The Kaiser rolled into the next piece of his combo. "If there is a Cyber Dragon in my graveyard, I can add a Light Machine from deck to hand." He added Cyber Dragon Drei off of this effect.

"Next, I will cast the spell **Machine Duplication**. This lets me target a machine monster with 500 or less attack points on my field and summon two monsters with the same name as that monster from my deck!"

"What good does that do? Having two extra copies of that weak core on the field won't be very helpful against those powerful amazons." Jasmine brought up.

I gave her a sidelong look. "That weak core's name is treated as Cyber Dragon while it's on the field." Zane had used this particular play on me once or twice during our sparring sessions. It was a good move that was difficult to defend against.

Two original Cyber Dragons flew through the air, landing next to the small core larva. "And that makes three Cyber Dragons on the field…" Jaden noted, catching on to the end goal of this play.

Zane had two cards left in hand. "I activate the spell card **Mystical Space Typhoon** to destroy your face-down." The face-down was , amusingly, revealed to be a Mirror Force. Good call there bud. And if I were a betting man (which I am), I would bet the last card in his hand was….

"I'll use the magic of **Power Bond**!" Zane slapped the card onto his duel disk, and I noticed Syrus perk up at the use of the card that he had struggled for so long to use correctly.

In a massive pillar of blue light, the two Cyber Dragons and the Cyber Dragon Core disappeared. Tania held up her arms to shield from the light.

"Well, what do ya know? Zane's summoning Cyber End Dragon! Can you believe it?" Erin said sarcastically.

"Well, if it ain't broke…" Jaden trailed off, recalling his own defeat at the hands of the Kaiser.

The three-headed dragon emerged, the epitome of Zane's skill and pride. "It's over for you! I call upon the **Cyber End Dragon (4000/2800)**!" Boosted by the effect of Power Bond, the already absurdly powerful dragon rose to 8000 attack points.

"Oh man, that Mirror Force sure would have come in handy…" I teased.

Tania bowed her head, having no way to defend against Zane's ultimate monster. She closed her eyes, accepting defeat with uncharacteristically quiet dignity.

Seeing that she had no response to his attack, Zane silently thrust his hand forward. His dragon knew what to do, charging up three converging beams of plasma. In an instant, the blast closed the distance between the two duelists, and crashed upon Tania's Amazoness Empress. **(Zane 2800/Tania 0)**

The monsters, as well as the cage surrounding them, disappeared. We descended from the stands quickly and met Zane in the center of the fighting stage. The force from the Cyber End Dragon's attack sent Tania flying across the arena. To her credit, however, she quickly got to her feet, albeit with haggard breath.

"Ah, nice and quick. Well done, Zane." I congratulated casually. He turned around and the serious look on his face softened.

"No no, Jamie, now's when we're supposed to exchange anime rival banter." Zane corrected quickly.

"Oh right, how could I forget?" I put on my best Kaiba impersonation. "Don't think that you've gotten ahead of me, Truesdale! I'm gonna be the number one duelist!"

Zane, in turn, did an impression of Yami Yugi. "You will not defeat me as long as you refuse to believe in the heart of the cards." Our friends chuckled at our stupidity while Tania looked on with confusion.

"In all seriousness, that was a great duel, Zane!" Jaden cheered.

"Thank you. I owe it all to the bond between my cards and I." He said.

"Aw, that's sweet." Jasmine briefly cooed.

"Yes, yes." I rolled my eyes. Of course, the fact that Amazons were an extremely favorable matchup for Cyber Dragons also probably had a fair bit to do with it, but god forbid I bring that inconvenient little fact up. I suppose it was a rather sweet sentiment though.

"Well, this wasn't a duel of darkness, so what's gonna happen to her?" Jaden asked. Tania, after regaining her breath, looked upon us with a new modicum of respect.

Zane looked at her again. "You fought honorably. There is no shame in this defeat, it was a good fight. If you promise to give up working for the Shadow Riders, I would be open to a rematch." He offered diplomatically.

"Well, she's also gonna have to give up the whole snu-snu thing." I add. Alexis snorted in the background.

"Oh, right. I appreciate the offer, but I'm afraid I will have to refuse your, ahem, proposition." Zane said awkwardly.

Tania chuckled. "A good fight, you say…I was defeated utterly while you were barely trying…by the laws of the Amazonian tribe, I have no choice but to accept these terms. Very well, I will stop working for the Shadow Riders. And one day, I will find a husband on my own terms."

"I'm glad we were able to reach an understanding. Allow me to be the first to wish you luck with your new life!" The Kaiser said with light heart.

"And I'm still on the market if you're interested!" Syrus piped up, but for some reason, Tania could not seem to hear him.

"I am saddened that I lost today, but it is good to see that some men in the world have honor. I heard all sorts of horror stories from my island." Tania divulged.

"Eh, guys aren't so bad. I guess." Erin sighed.

"I have one more question. Where did you get that Amazoness Empress card? It hasn't been released in any official sets." I interjected.

She gave me a mysterious look. "From my master."

"What?!" I barked, but the amazon was already transforming once more into the white tiger. The orange tiger, which we now knew to be the Duel Spirit of Amazoness Tiger, leapt to her side, and the two jungle cats left the arena peaceably.

"Impossible…how is Kagemaru obtaining cards from the future? Or did he create them himself? I needed to get to the bottom of this.

"Well, all's well that ends well!" Jaden announced cheerfully, clearly not curious about any of this.

"How is she going to leave the island? For that matter, how did she even get here in the first place?" Alexis questioned, this problem clearly just occurring to her.

"Actually, that's a good question. Come to think of it, where is the Amazon island she was talking about earlier? And how does it stay hidden from the rest of mankind?" Bastion built up a head of steam and began to fire off the questions. "And what exactly are we going to do with a giant Roman-style coliseum in the middle of our quarry? We really should have asked her these questions before she left, because now we might never see her again! This is terrible!"

"Yep, all's well that ends well!" Jaden repeated blithely.

A/N

Hope you all enjoyed.

I didn't particularly like the Tania storyline in canon. When I saw episode 36 for the first time, I figured that we would finally see one of Bastion's strategies work for once, and that he would put aside his feelings and do what needs to be done for the sake of his friends and his school. Instead Bastion literally got snu-snu for a whole night and Jaden had to pick up the slack…again. I know that side characters don't tend to fare well in shonen series, but the wayt hey did Bastion was really dirty. The sheer maliciousness the writers seem to have towards him is very strange to me. What did he do to deserve such treatment? But I don't really have anything against Tania, so I hope the character was represented well here.

She put up a decent fight against Zane, but as Jamie noted in the chapter, Amazons are not really a great matchup against Cyber Dragons because Cyber Dragons can get their big guns out quicker and more consistently, and they can end duels in one huge attack, while Amazons prefer prolonged battles. Zane's the number one duelist at the academy for a reason – I hope this chapter was a good showcase of some of his skill. Obviously powerscaling isn't an easy thing to define in Yugioh, though.

We also got to see a bit of Adam's deck in this chapter finally. I would describe it as a bit of fusion between Bandit Keith and Joey's deck, with a greater reliance on chance-based effects. Obviously it is not a competitive build, but it represents how he likes to play the game.

Finally, I am glad to note that the story has blown past the 500 follow mark! It is great to see that people find the story interesting, and I can't wait to show you guys what's in store for the story's future. Have good one, and I'll catch you on the flippity-flip.


	22. Waifus and Wizardry

Chapter 22: Wizards and Waifus

(Kagemaru POV)

In the city of bridges, the master of the Seven Stars plotted. Kagemaru dwelled in the cellar of an otherwise innocuous town home in Mestre, Italy. Inside his life support tank, his eyes were closed and his body seemed serene. The mechanical claws on the bottom of the tank moved seemingly of their own accord, working feverishly on some unknown project. A sharp green light illuminated the dark cellar, and it was clear that powerful supernatural forces were being harnessed, focused to a single point.

Idly, Kagemaru noticed Don Zaloog, one of his Shadow Riders, enter the room with a quiet tread. "Oi, boss." Zaloog greeted.

Kagemaru's eyes remained closed. "What have you to report?" He said without preamble.

"Saw two men from Industrial Illusions sniffing about today, we did."

"Industrial Illusions in Italy…this is most irritating. Were they handled?"

"Yes, sir." They both knew what "handled" meant.

"Good."

After a long pause, Zaloog spoke up, "Beggin' your pardon sir, but we should prepare to move again. They'll be wondering after those two men soon enough-"

Kagemaru held up a hand, and Zaloog froze. "There is no need. The creation process is nearly complete. The Lancaster boy is good for one thing, at least…an entire universe of power is now within my grasp. I have bonded with creatures that will bring this world to heel. Yes, very soon, the time will come to lay siege to the island. And then you and your crew will be rich beyond your dreams."

At first, Zaloog looked confused and frightened. At the prospect of wealth, however, his fears were forgotten. "I'll get our people ready to move. We'll depart when you command, sir."

"Yes, we will." Kagemaru said decisively. Knowing that he was dismissed, Zaloog softly exited the room.

As he held a glowing card in his claws, Kagemaru's pale eyes opened. "Jamie Lancaster…Jaden Yuki…once I am finished with the both of you, you will know the true power of fusion summoning! And then, immortality will be mine…"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxxxXxxXxxX

(Jamie Lancaster (My) POV)

A month of relentless wind and rain passed, March blurring into April. It wasn't until the end of April that we could finally be sure that the rainy season was nearing its end. And as the sun began to peek out more often, the school became abuzz with spring fever. More importantly, Central Academy's annual spring festival was approaching.

The festival was known colloquially on campus as Duel Monsters Spirit Day. It was traditionally on the last Saturday of April, three weeks before final exams. For a day, the grounds were adorned with various carnival games, sweet stands, sports fields, and many other forms of merriment. There was even a cosplay contest – but even students not competing liked to dress as their favorite cards. It sounds dorky as all hell, but any excuse to party is a legitimate one in my eyes.

It was the day before the Duel Monsters Spirit Day proper, and the necessary elements for my costume had just arrived in the mail. After I got out of classes for the day, I grabbed the package from the mailroom and rushed up to my room.

"Ooh, is that your spirit day costume?" Sonata popped in out of nowhere. Generally, she was good about knowing when it was okay to appear and when it wasn't. Whenever I was in the Obelisk Blue complex, Sonata could usually talk to me without any worry of Jaden or Chumley seeing her. I didn't know if any other Obelisk Blues could see Duel Spirits, but I wasn't paranoid enough to keep Sonata suppressed at all times. She could always tell me if someone with the sight was around.

"Alright, I'm going to try it on. No peeking, although realistically speaking there's no way I can stop you from doing so." I caught myself. To drive this point home, Sonata passed her immaterial hand through my head.

"Whatever you say, Jamie-kun…" She said, drifting through the wall. I looked at the spot she passed through for a few seconds, just to make sure she wouldn't poke her head out. Then, I opened the box and began to undress.

It took a little bit to get the costume on correctly, but I managed to get it eventually. "Alright, you can come out now." I said, uncertain that she could even hear me.

It seemed that she could. Sonata phased back into the room and sized me up. "Ah, that's nice!"

I was wearing sterling silver replica knight's armor that I ordered off the internet. It wasn't as heavy or durable as real knight's armor, but it was a lot easier to move around in and wasn't quite as hot. I walked into the bathroom to look at my reflection in the mirror.

"Well, what do you think? Blade Knight seems a good pick for this sort of thing. The costume is not too intricate or flashy, but since a lot of people are going for more aesthetic looks, this might stand out for its simplicity." I asked.

"Hard to say. Most guys will probably pick a warrior type monster for the ease of it, but I wouldn't worry about that too much. Your new hair suits the knight look pretty well." Sonata appraised.

I let my hair grow out a bit in the past month. Formerly short and messy, I chose to let it get to medium length for a more surfer-esque look. Naturally, I would have to get a more conservative cut for my rapidly approaching interview with Kaibacorp, but for now I was content to experiment a little. "Thanks."

"You know, I once came across the duel spirit of Blade Knight, about 75 years ago." Sonata commented.

"Oh really? What's he like?" I asked idly as I began to undress. I was so caught up in the conversation I forgot to tell her to leave as I put on my uniform again.

"He serves Bronn, the mad king of the Dark World. He was known for being one of the few honorable spirits serving in that tyrant's army. Never mistreated the people and sought to curb some of the king's more psychotic impulses as best he could." She briefly explained, as it seemed to be an uncomfortable topic for her. Still, something about it aroused my curiosity.

"You say 'was' and not 'is'. What happened to him?" I pressed.

"Well, he's still around, but in the past few months, I have heard whisperings that he has changed tremendously. Before, he was chivalrous and courteous. Now, I hear that he will do anything to achieve his ends, and is just as ruthless as the other scum in the king's army." She told me.

I suddenly shivered. "In the past few months? What could have happened to cause such a dramatic change?"

"I have no idea." Sonata shrugged, not wanting to speculate.

"Well, if you find anything else about this being, please let me know. I find it interesting." I asked.

She eyed me strangely. "Jamie, you have enough problems without worrying about some random duel spirit. Don't get too worked up about it, ok?"

As I put on my blue coat, I looked at her seriously. "Just keep an eye on him, and let me know if something interesting comes up-."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Syrus Truesdale POV)

In the student commons, Syrus was on his laptop, headphones in. While others studied, he was watching his favorite anime; High School DxD. Zane said that he wasn't allowed to watch harem anime or read ecchi manga anymore, but he could sod off as far as Syrus was concerned – although he would never say such a thing aloud.

 _"Zane…he had a perfectly good chance to get some snu-snu, and he passed it up! Unbelievable! I sure wish Tania would have chosen me…"_ The blue-haired boy thought bitterly. To get his mind off his older brother, he returned to watching his show. The headphones compressed his spiky hair tremendously, making his haircut seem shorter than it actually was.

 _"Issei is such a lucky bastard!"_ Syrus thought not for the first time. _"But why does he have to be such a coward! Man, if I were in his place, I would have had a threesome with Rias and Akeno by the fifth episode!"_

While the show played out on his browser, he had a word document open, in which he was writing a piece of fanfiction. It was a Godlike!Strong!Smart!Naruto/DxD crossover in which Syrus was self-inserting as Naruto. He would sometimes even mistakenly write his own name when he meant to write Naruto's. His story was extremely popular on the fanfiction website he was publishing on – he nearly had 5000 follows and favorites!

Every so often, his eyes would frantically dart around the room to make sure Zane wouldn't sneak up on him. Sometimes, he could have sworn he heard a female voice laughing softly at him, but then he would look around and find only men in the common area. It was very strange. However, he was able to put it from his mind and focus on writing his lemon scene between Naruto and Koneko.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Jamie Lancaster (My) POV)

After I finished trying on my costume, I walked back to the main school building in order to mail a letter to my "parents". Writing that letter was a deeply uncomfortable experience, but they wanted to know how I was doing. The contents of the letter were entirely positive – they didn't need to know about the Shadow Riders. Someday, I was going to have to confront the issue of how to address them. For now, this would suffice.

I dropped by the mailroom just as it was about to close, and barely managed to get my missive sent. Checking the time, I noticed it was nearly five o' clock. I planned to eat a light supper, hit the gym, and get to bed early so as to be well rested for the next day's festivities. I also felt it was highly likely that a Shadow Rider would attack on the day of the festival. Zane's fight against Tania was nearly a month ago, and we were all waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak. Besides, the festival would be a suitably dramatic locale for a final battle – this is an anime after all.

As I passed by the commons, I saw Syrus sitting in a corner and decided to drop by and say hello. Taking the piss out of Syrus was a lot of fun, but he was also an undeniable friend of the group, and it was important to let him know that. I knew just how strong he could be, given enough time to mature.

I strode over to his desk. He was typing quickly, his focus devoted entirely on whatever he was writing. Smirking, I tiptoed behind him. Ra forgive me, the urge to prank him was too strong.

"I thought I told you - no more of this anime shit, little brother." I put on my best Zane impression, which basically involved sounding as bored as possible.

"AAAAAUGGH!" Syrus squealed, shutting his laptop and yanking his headphones off, causing his hair to poof out at the sides. The other students in commons gave us dirty looks. "Oh, it's you." He breathed a sigh of relief. "You're horrible! I actually thought you were Zane! If he catches me reading light novels again, he's gonna tell on me to mom and dad!"

"Say no more." I see he's dipping back into the light novels with a vengeance. Some people have a ciggy, others drink caffeine, and some look at lewd images of anime waifus – we all have our vices. I certainly didn't care what Syrus did on his own time. Pranking him never got old though.

"So what are you Slifers doing for Spirit Day?" I asked casually, choosing a rather cliché topic of conversation so as to set him at ease.

"Well, Chumley and Jaden are painting the lines for the duel fields right now. Professor Drummond's handling the setup well, although I can tell he can't wait until he doesn't have to be head of Slifer Red anymore." Syrus was the sort of person who was shy normally, but could really blather on in the right setting.

"Any costumes?" I asked wryly.

"Not for me, although I think Jaden wants to try something." The blue-haired boy answered. "I wonder if it'll be an Elemental Hero! What about you?"

"Well, you heard about that bet your brother lost with Alexis, right?" I grinned devilishly. "Let's just say the Kaiser's costume will turn some heads. As for me, I plan to go as Blade Knight."

Syrus looked confused. "What bet? What's Zane dressing as?"

"You'll see…" I said cryptically. Suddenly, I heard a feminine giggle from above. Sonata knows what I'm talking about, so it makes sense that she's having a bit of a laugh…but when I glanced up, I didn't see Sonata.

A duel spirit flew in the air above us, and it wasn't mine. She was an incredibly attractive woman with long blonde hair and twinkling green eyes. Her clothes were those of a magician's – specifically, they were the sort of thing a woman might wear as an "Adult" Halloween costume. It showed plenty of skin, periwinkle and pink fabric drawing attention to creamy expanses of leg and collarbone.

It was the Dark Magician Girl, and somewhere, a Yu-Gi-Oh fan was touching themselves inappropriately. She gave a wink and held a finger to her mouth, signaling that I should be quiet. She pointed to Syrus and grinned.

"What are you looking at, Jamie?" Syrus asked.

"I thought I saw a huge spider up in the rafters." That was enough to quell his curiosity.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

I woke up early the next day and donned my costume. After a quick breakfast, I made my way to Zane's room, rather noisily due to the nature of the armor.

I knocked on the door and Zane answered a moment later. "Were you expecting someone?" I asked as I let myself in.

"I heard you coming from sixteen miles away in that armor." Zane grumbled, as he was not much of a morning person.

"As I recall, you're the last person who should be talking shit on someone's Spirit Day costume." Last week, Alexis and Zane decided to place a friendly wager on the outcome of a pro duel, a duel which Zane called incorrectly. Now, he had to dress in whatever Alexis wished. And she could have a cruel sense of humor at times – I could attest to that!

He let me in though, and I noticed that Tania's gauntlet, her shadow charm, was on Zane's dresser. "So what are you doing with this?" I pointed at the glove with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, that? Nothing more than a paperweight. The headmaster requested that I keep it around though. You still have the choker from the vampire, right?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'm not sure if keeping around these dark items is a good idea though."

"Since they were designed for the specific Shadow Rider in question, I doubt there's any problem with keeping em around." Zane speculated.

"Hmm…" I mentally wrote something down for later. I planned to conduct some experiments on these charms and see just what the deal is with them anyways.

"Ready, Zane?" Speak of the devil, and she shall appear. Just like in canon, Alexis was dressing as Cyber Harpie Lady. She wore bronze armor that didn't protect much but showed off a more than fair amount. I certainly didn't mind - there was no denying that it was a sexy outfit. Mindy and Jasmine would be cosplaying as the other two Harpie Lady sisters.

As soon as Alexis saw me, she froze, looking me up and down. "Good morning, Alexis. That's a nice costume." I said coquettishly. A spot of color tinged her cheeks.

"Uh, t-thanks. Sorry, I just didn't expect to see you here. Getting your punches in early, eh Jamie? You're just in time to watch me work some magic." She said, quickly regaining her composure. I got the sense that Alexis was enjoying this a little too much. Zane sat on the edge of his bed and put his head in his hands.

"Let's just get this over with."

In thirty minutes, the transformation was complete. Zane's dark blue hair was spiked upwards, straining against gravity. He wore no shirt, navy blue swim trunks, and wooden sandals. To top it off, he held a plastic harpoon toy in his hands. As the costume came together, my grin widened. Zane's costume was the Legendary Fishman, the signature card of professional water duelist Mako Tsunami.

"What a freaky fish guy!" I jibed, throwing a beach towel at him.

Zane sighed, catching the towel with one hand. "I expect to hear that phrase about seven hundred times today, so might as well get started early. Let's go."

We made for the grounds, Alexis and I chuckling the whole way.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

We trekked down the hill towards the Slifer Red dorm to meet up with Jaden and his boys, stopping at the Blue-Eyes Café on the way. The coffee shop was selling a few new specialty brews in the spirit of the day. Zane did not order anything, while Alexis ordered a Happy Lover Latte (all of the specialty drinks had horrible names such as this). For once, I decided to splurge on a brew of Blue-Eyes Mountain. The buyer's remorse hit me like a freight train shortly thereafter.

Syrus and Chumley elected not to cosplay, while Jaden was wearing an…interesting combination, a fusion if you will, of multiple creatures. He wore the hat of Saggi the Dark Clown, the shoulder pads of the Bamboozled Celtic Guardian (or whatever that card was called), the body armor of Breaker the Magical Warrior, and the shield of Gearfried the Iron Knight. It was a total mess, and I loved it.

"That's pretty funny Jaden, you should go with it." I prodded.

"Yeah, you won't have to worry about anyone having the same costume as you at least." Alexis added.

"I know it's pretty silly, but it's all we had in the Slifer dorm. I wanted an Elemental Hero costume, but we didn't have any!" Jaden shrugged. "You guys have some great outfits yourselves! Although I never would have thought Zane would choose to be the Legendary Fisherman."

Zane covered his face in embarrassment. In the background, Syrus was snapping some pictures, no doubt to use as leverage at a later date. We chatted for a while, observing the other Slifer Red students readying the dueling field for the costume duel. It was nice to not think about the impending danger from the remaining shadow riders for a little bit.

Around ten, we saw Erin, Bastion, Adam, Mindy, and Jasmine arrive from the north. Mindy and Jasmine were of course dressed as Harpies, while Bastion decided to forgo a costume. Adam was just wearing a grey suit and vest – was that a duel monster? I couldn't remember. But seeing Erin's costume put my mind from all that. She had put together an elaborate Maiden of the Aqua costume, regaled in pearls, white robes, and a violet shawl. She even styled her hair to match the card artwork – it was breathtaking.

"That's a great look. I have to wonder how much it cost though." I wondered aloud as the group met us.

"Not as much as you'd think, as long as you know where to look." Erin's eyes flashed demurely. "I have an eye for this sort of thing, sir knight." Our eyes briefly clashed, but the battle was over as soon as it started. "As do I." I shot back.

"Sorry, is that a duel monster costume, or…?" Jaden asked Adam, dissolving the tension.

Adam was reading something on his phone, not paying attention. "Huh? Well yeah, it's Sand Gambler!"

"He owned that suit beforehand, he was just too lazy to buy a real costume." Jasmine immediately threw him under the bus.

"Hey! Not everyone has time for custom-made Harpie Lady crap! Seriously, you people put way too much work into this." The gambler responded indignantly. "And if anyone's costume deserves to get roasted, it's that freaky fish guy." He pointed at Zane.

"That's number two." The Kaiser rolled his eyes.

"Well, it's something alright. Anyways, I wonder who should take part in the annual Slifer Red costume duel?" Syrus said.

"Did somebody say costume duel?" A feminine voice interrupted. We all turned around and saw whom else but the spitting image of the Dark Magician Girl. _"Oh right, the filler episode."_ I thought dryly. I should have figured this whole plotline would still be happening. Still, as far as filler episodes go, this one was rather amusing. Looking around, I saw a crowd of students was already beginning to gather.

"Woah, now that's one hell of a cosplay." Adam commented, pulling at his collar.

"Geez…I could have sworn we would have the costume contest in the bag, but it looks like a new challenger has appeared." Mindy said, in awe.

"Who is that? I don't remember seeing that student around. She owns that costume though." Zane added, glad that people weren't paying attention to his getup.

"She can own my body too if she wants!" Syrus began jumping up and down again.

"We might have to start keeping this kid on a leash." Alexis facepalmed.

"Believe me, I've thought about it." Zane replied.

"If you all are having a duel…can I join in?" The Dark Magician Girl waved sweetly.

"Yeah, that's fine! More than fine actually!" Syrus, who apparently was the MC for this event, wholeheartedly approved. "Who would you like to duel?"

Jaden's eyes glinted at the prospect of a challenge, as did Zane's and Erin's. Alexis and I glanced at each other and shared a silent joke, while the others were trying to figure out just who this mysterious waifu actually was.

"Welllll…" The Dark Magician Girl said cutely. "I was hoping I could duel you." She pointed directly at Syrus.

"Nani?!" Jaden and Erin had the whole anime sweat drop thing going on, while Zane joined Jasmine in facepalming.

Syrus' eyes were wide as dinner plates. "I accept!"

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be the MC of this thing?" Adam inconveniently pointed out.

Syrus regarded him with an expression that would not look out of place on his older brother.

"Listen well, Sugihara. I've been a fanboy of Dark Magician Girl since jump street. While you were partying, I was in drawing Dark Magician Girl fanart. While you were playing shitty little online poker games on your phone, I was writing Dark Magician Girl x Reader fanfiction on DeviantArt. While you wasted your days at the gym in the pursuit of vanity, I cultivated a Dark Magician Girl roleplay blog on Tumblr - which has seen massive success, I might add! And now that my destiny stands before me, you have the audacity to stand in my way?"

As the tirade continued, it seemed as though Syrus was towering over Adam. "Uhh, tell you what, I'll just get on the mic, ok? Just please don't hurt me." He pleaded for his life, and to his great fortune, Lord Syrus was a man of mercy.

"Woah, Syrus is hardcore." I sniggered.

"He's something alright…" Erin agreed, echoing Syrus' words form earlier. "You do know that's not actually the real Dark Magician Girl, right?"

"Alright, Dark Magician Girl is getting really cumbersome to say. Oi, what's your name?" I shouted across the field to the "cosplayer".

"Umm, I'm really sorry, I hope I'm not causing any trouble…" The Dark Magician Girl gave me a knowing wink. "You can just call me Mana."

"We love you Mana-chan!" The crowd called out at once.

Syrus smiled. "Wow, just like the old Egyptian legends…I would be honored to duel you, Mana."The little guy activated his duel disk with a zeal that was really quite amusing. The funny thing about Syrus is that everyone expects that he's a sweet, innocent boy once you look past his myriad insecurities. In reality, he's really a bit of a gremlin – he is horny for trading cards and gets a swelled head like any high school boy does when he thinks he is superior. And that's what I liked about him – he really was like a regular person.

Jaden, however, didn't find this nearly as funny as I did. "I'm bored. This is boring. I'm gonna go check out what else is going on." He said like an easily distracted child.

I was about to say something, but Bastion beat me to the punch. "Jaden, I think the likelihood of a Shadow Rider ambushing us during the festival is high. Be careful, and don't wander off alone." He cautioned.

The hero duelist shrugged it off. "I'll be fine. See ya later, guys!" He waved and proceeded to wander off alone.

"Ughhh…." Bastion already knew that his warning would be ignored completely as they always were. "He's such a kid."

"But he's a great duelist. If a Shadow Rider comes along, he should be able to take care of himself." Alexis decided to jump in. "He's beaten both of us. In fact, I think the only people here who haven't lost to Jaden are Zane and Jamie."

"Goddamn right." Zane and I said simultaneously.

"Well, we haven't lost to Jaden either." Mindy pointed to herself and Jasmine. Her comment was quite rustling, as we all knew that Jaden (as well as any serious duelist) could easily destroy both of these silly girls. However, no one wanted to be the asshole that pointed this out, so we stayed silent and focused on the duel.

"Are you ready, cutie?" Mana asked sweetly.

"I was born ready." Syrus responded, and I believed him.

XxXxXxXxXxXxxXxXxx

(Jaden Yuki POV)

Like a wayward puppy, Jaden wandered throughout the campus, looking for an interesting opponent to duel. He was really hoping to get a crack at that Dark Magician Girl cosplayer, but it was not to be this time.

"Still, there's gotta be some good fights to be had around here…" The Slifer wondered as he wandered by some snack stands. The crowd of students was thick here, as many uncreative boys felt that today would be a good time to ask that girl they've always liked on a date. Jaden was one of the few single guys there – although he wasn't alone, strictly speaking.

"Well, whatdya think, Winged Kuriboh? Any of these people strong duelists?" Jaden asked his companion spirit, as if Winged Kuriboh could actually discern such a thing from a cursory glance.

 _"[That doesn't really fall in the scope of my powers, Jaden. But I can see plenty of spirits around here…I bet if you concentrated, you could see them too.]_ " Only Jaden knew this, but Winged Kuriboh's actual voice was an extremely deep bass that wouldn't sound out of place on the likes of Barry White. The tone certainly didn't match the creature's cutesy appearance.

Jaden squinted and looked at the sky above. Sure enough, once he devoted his entire focus to the act of seeing, he could observe several duel spirits in the sky. He saw a Curse of Dragon, Harpie Ladies, and all manner of avian monsters.

 _"[Today's like the high school reunion for us Duel Spirits. Especially for the ones without humans.]_ " Kuriboh idly commented.

"Gosh, that kinda makes us sound like pets!" Jaden said, half-indignant and hoping that his spirit would contradict him.

Kuriboh did not deign to respond. Soon enough however, Jaden forgot about it.

"So, it's like a high school reunion, huh? What were the cliques like?" Jaden asked with surprising wit.

 _"[Well, the big chads are Dark Magician, or more accurately Mahad, and the Blue Eyes White Dragon, or more accurately Kisara. Harpies are the bitchy popular girls, while the Synchrons are the A/V club nerds. I was a nobody until one day Yugi Moto and I established a partnership. I got him out of a pretty nasty spot of trouble in Argentina once.]_ " With every word the Kuriboh spoke, Jaden's curiosity was more and more piqued.

"Wait, why did you call the Dark Magician Mahad? And the Blue-Eyes Kisara? Are those their real names?" Jaden gushed.

 _"[Uh, yeah basically.]"_ Kuriboh sweatdropped, realizing he was saying too much.

"And what exactly are the Synchrons? Are they cards?" Jaden was asking dangerous questions.

Kuriboh's mind whirred as he tried to think of a way to distract Jaden. Luckily, this was not a difficult task, as the boy was dumb. "Well, the answer to your question is very simple- What in the world could that be?" The duel spirit exclaimed in mock surprise. Jaden's head whirred to where Kuriboh was pointing.

"Kuriboh dumplins'! Get ya Kuriboh Dumplings here, hot and fresh off the grill!" A vendor with a thick Boston accent shouted to the group of passerby students.

"Woah, good call Kuriboh! I was getting pretty hungry!" Jaden grinned.

 _"[Good thing this kid is a fucking brick, or else I would have been in big trouble there. Remember, ixnay on the ynchro-say.]"_ Kuriboh was relieved before he realized what Jaden was referring to. _"[What? No way! You people eat Kuribohs?!]_ " He exclaimed in shock.

"Huh? Oh no, they're just pieces of dough that are painted to look like Kuribohs. It's just a prank, bro." Jaden reassured.

 _"[Oh really? And how would you feel if I told you that we Duel Spirits eat human-shaped dumplings?]_ " Winged Kuriboh raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, do you?"

" _[Well no, but…]"_

And so Jaden went on his wayward stroll, eventually making his way down to the harbor. At Kuriboh's behest, he ditched the dumplings and chose to pick up some fried shrimp, his favorite, instead. Idly, he ambled along the boardwalk, looking at the docked ships until he noticed something was amiss.

"Say, was there always an ancient Egyptian-styled boat docked here?" He asked. Next to all of the modern deep sea fishing boats and private ferries, there was a wooden rowboat with two dozen oars notched and a billowing white sail. It was a surreal sight.

 _"[That's not the work of a spirit, since you can clearly touch it. Still, such a vessel is not fit for the open sea – it's meant for passage through a river.]_ " Kuriboh's gears were turning.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, pal?" Jaden asked.

 _"[I believe so – this is the work of one of those irksome Shadow Riders.]_ " The puffball surmised.

"Actually, I was thinking that there is somebody strong around for us to duel – but you're right too! So if I were a Shadow Rider, where would I be?" The Hero duelist wondered.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXXxXxXx

(Jamie Lancaster (My) POV)

I suddenly felt a tingle. My "Jaden's getting himself in trouble" senses were tingling. Either that or I was contracting food poisoning. But I was reasonably sure it was the first thing.

"No, I think you're probably right. That boy shouldn't be wandering off by himself. Do you think I should go check on him?" Sonata felt that it was safe to appear next to me now that Jaden had left.

"It's fine. Jaden may think like a brick most of the time, but he actually can take care of himself. I'm personally more interested in seeing what happens in this round of The Bachelor, aren't you?" I asked facetiously. Sonata and I were communicating telepathically, so I had keep half of my attention on her and half on my surroundings to make sure it didn't look like I was spacing out.

"Honestly, I don't know what Mana sees in that little perv." Sonata grumbled, and I couldn't help but agree.

But for the sake of playing Devil's Advocate, I decided to reply, "Well, love is like wildflowers – it often blooms in the most unlikely of places."

Without realizing it, I said that last part aloud. The others turned to me in confusion. "What, don't you guys agree?" I quickly added.

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Simply challenging Syrus to a duel doesn't mean that this mysterious cosplayer is in love with him. She could be interested in him for any number of reasons." Bastion spoke up.

"Well, Syrus is an interesting person." Zane said, his meaning unclear. Alexis looked at him, trying to see if Zane was being sarcastic or not. Meanwhile, the first turn was beginning.

"I set a monster and a face-down card. That ends my turn!" Syrus clearly did not want to waste time.

"Ok, here we go!" Mana began, to the cheers of the audience. "I play **Magician's Rod (1600/100)** in attack mode!" A spectral image, only faintly visible, of the legendary Dark Magician appeared. The ghostly afterimage was holding a solid and very real staff. "When this card is summoned, I can add a spell or trap card that lists Dark Magician in its text to my hand." She chose to add Dark Magic Curtain to her hand by this effect.

"Then, I'll set one…no, two cards. Then, I'll launch an attack!" She thrust her hand forward, and the afterimage launched a spectral energy blast at Syrus' face-down. It was revealed to be **Gyroid (1000/1000)** , a blue cartoon helicopter. The Gyroid weathered the blast and remained on the field.

"Sorry, but Gyroid can survive one extra attack each turn, so he's sticking around!" Syrus explained.

"Aw, I thought I had ya that time! Oh well. Your turn, sweetie!" Mana waved. Did she really just call him sweetie? Ra preserve us.

"So, Mana is pulling out the big guns. I'm surprised she is doing so in the middle of such a large audience." Sonata observed.

"Indeed. Magician's Rod is not a card from this time period. But these people are so dreadfully unobservant that I would more surprised if they actually did notice. So tell me, do these cards come from the future as well?" I asked.

"Good question, but your assumption isn't quite right. It helps if you think of the duel not as a game, but as a ritual in which two wills clash. We duel spirits channel our will and draw upon otherworldly energies to create a card that suits our will." Sonata tried to explain.

"So you can make whatever card you want? Why don't you just start off the game with the five Exodia pieces in your hand or something?" I asked wryly.

"Well, we can't do stuff like that. The Exodia pieces are far too powerful for most to command. Our imaginations are sadly limited by our power level. It's like a bottleneck – we think of the right card and shape its image with the power we have at our disposal. Then, it becomes real. So really, our card pool is limited as well, although we have a few more options than humans do." Sonata's words gave me much to think on.

"I summon **Steamroid (1800/1800)**." A cartoon train took the field, and suddenly I was thinking of the many Thomas the Train Engine memes I had seen in my old life before the whole dying business.

"Now, I'll switch Gyroid to attack mode and go in!" Steamroid barreled down the path at Magician's Rod. The train gained 500 attack points during the damage step due to its effect. Surprisingly, Mana let the attack go through. **(Syrus 4000/Mana 3300)**

 **"** Nice, the face-downs are bluffs! Gyroid, launch a direct attack!" In a surreal display, the cartoon helicopter punched the magician waifu using one of its landing wheels as a fist (?). Watching Vehicroids always made me feel like I was tripping, because even though we were already in an anime, the Vehecroids were "animated" differently, so it was like two layers of separation from what I was used to considering as "reality". **(Syrus 4000/Mana 2300)**

"Hey, that was a good move!" She praised. "Now let me strike back! I activate the spell **Dark Magic Curtain**! By paying half of my life points, I can summon the ultimate wizard in terms of attack and defense! Come forth, **Dark Magician (2500/2100)**!" **(Syrus 4000/Mana 1150)**

A violet pentagram appeared on the ground, purple energy burning into the soil. Yugi Moto's ace monster (well, one of his ace monsters…his main ace monster, anyways) emerged from the circle, his dark purple robes and emerald scepter immediately recognizable. The audience went wild, as Dark Magician was arguably the most popular monster in the game.

"What, no way! I thought that Yugi was the only duelist who wielded the Dark Magician!" Bastion exclaimed.

"Clearly not. Dark Magician did get reprinted recently, but it's still a pretty rare card. Besides, it's a level seven vanilla with 2500 attack points, who's really trying to build a deck around that?" Adam responded.

"Well, it worked for the king of games, so it can't be so bad." Erin said.

"Yugi has a way of making every card work to its fullest potential…it's not something any duelist can do." Zane chipped in, and it was amusing how correct he was. Yugi certainly did have a way of making things work out – having a mystical artifact that can manipulate fate will do that for you!

"Now, I'll launch an attack at your Steamroid! Go, my master! Dark magic attack!" A ball of violet energy coalesced on the tip of the scepter.

"Since I declared an attack with a spellcaster, I can activate my trap card **Magician's Circle**! Each of us can special summon a spellcaster with 2000 or less attack points to the field in attack mode!"

"And of course I don't have any…" Syrus observed glumly.

"And we all know that I do! Say hello to a dazzling master-apprentice combo! I summon **Dark Magician Girl (2000/1700)**!"

A hologram (but was it really?) of the Dark Magician Girl appeared, and there was no discernible difference between the duelist and the card. "Wow, now that is a great cosplay!" Alexis said in admiration. I rolled my eyes.

"Wow, this is just amazing! But I'm not planning on losing!" Syrus said with odd boldness.

"Now, my attack will continue!" Mana's blonde hair gently flowed in the breeze, her gentle and playful countenance at odds with the powerful offense she was mounting.

"I activate my trap card, **Supercharge**! When a vehicroid is attacked, I can draw two cards." Syrus got some pretty good draw power off of his trap, but it did nothing to encumber the assault.

With a swish, the Dark Magician blew away Syrus' train with a blast of magic power. Syrus' machine lost 500 points when it was attacked due its own effect, causing him to take more damage. **(Syrus 2800/Mana 1150)**

Then, Dark Magician Girl launched a deep red plasma blast from her own staff. This attack struck Gyroid head on, although its special effect ensured its survival. "That ends my turn." **(Syrus 1800/Mana 1150)**

"Alright, now we got ourselves a game." I commented casually.

"In order to win, Syrus may have to use…."that" card." Zane added with a melodramatic, serious tone.

"Ooh, what is that card?" I couldn't tell if Mindy was being sarcastic or not. Oh who I am I kidding, we all know that she isn't.

"You know….""that"" card." Zane refused to elaborate. I yawned. His attempt to dramatize this filler duel was admirable, but it really wasn't that deep, bro.

"My draw!" Syrus started off his next turn in dire straits, facing down two of Yugi Moto's most famous cards. And this girl was so stunning, she clearly took his breath away…but surprisingly, the ever-present fear on his face was absent.

"I switch Gyroid to defense mode. And then I'll set another monster and a face-down. That's it for me." He was turtling now. I was trying to think if he had any flip monsters in his deck, but nothing was coming to mind. Hopefully that face-down was useful.

"Aww, that's it? Oh well. It's my move!" Mana drew. "I summon **Magician's Valkyria (1600/1800)**." Another beautiful witch took the field. Her face and body were almost identical to the Dark Magician Girl, but she was distinguished by her auburn hair, blue eyes, and teal robes. "As long as she's on the field, my other spellcasters can't be targeted for attacks!"

"And without further ado, let the magic show begin! For my first trick, Dark Magician and Magician's Valkyria attack Gyroid!" Mana's first two magicians finally sent the bothersome helicopter to the scrap heap. However, Syrus didn't seem worried.

"And now, Dark Magician Girl attacks the face-down monster!" The blonde cutie shot a volley of dark pink energy waves at Syrus' mystery machine. However, when the dust settled, Syrus' monster was still on the field.

" **Mixeroid (0/2200)** is gonna be able to take that." Syrus explained. On his field was a green cement mixer trunk with the Polymerization symbol on the side. "And you'll take a little damage for it!" Dark Magician Girl was flung back, and the battle phase ended. **(Syrus 1800/Mana 950)**

"Should have attacked it with Dark Magician." Erin said.

"Yeah, no kidding. I guess she thought that Syrus wouldn't have a monster with that amount of defense." Adam added. "This kid isn't half as shitty as I thought he'd be."

"He's grown as a duelist quite a bit, thanks to Jaden. He's really out here trying to stand on his own two feet." Alexis said with admiration for Syrus' efforts.

Zane's stern expression softened a little, which was about as good as it was gonna get for now.

"Well, that's my bad. Your move Sy!" Mana chirped.

He was considering his next move a lot more carefully now. Mixeroid's fusion summoning effect couldn't be used since he only had two Vehicroids in the graveyard. Was there something else he could fuse?

"I activate Mixeroid's effect! By sacrificing a machine monster on the field, I can special a summon a Roid monster from my deck, as long as it's not wind attribute." Although this effect was random as all hell, Syrus had a good target for it. "By offering up Mixeroid, I can summon **Armoroid (2700/2000)** from my deck!"

In place of the cement truck came a mechanical behemoth, a Transformer/Gundam style battle robot made out of airplane parts. It towered over everything else in the vicinity, at least two hundred and fifty feet tall. Since it wasn't tribute summoned, its effect wouldn't pop off, but it didn't matter.

"Sorry hun, but I've still got a face-down left to play! I activate **Dark Renewal**!" Two dark crimson coffins rose from the ground as Mana spoke. "When you summon a monster while I control a spellcaster, I can send one of my monsters and your summoned monster to the grave!" Both Magician's Valkyria and Armoroid were swallowed up by the coffins and sent underground.

This move had the purpose of getting rid of both a weak monster on her side and a strong one on Syrus' side. And it wasn't over. "Then, I can special summon a dark spellcaster from my deck! I choose another Dark Magician!" Twin Dark Magicians were now on the field, and Syrus had no monsters. He still had his normal summon though.

"Alright, that's fine…let's see, I play my **Foolish Burial** to send a Submarineroid from deck to grave. Then, I'll activate my face-down **Call of the Haunted** to summon Mixeroid back to the field." The mixer returned, staring down three powerful magicians.

"Is he crazy? Why wouldn't he summon back Armoroid?" Mindy wondered.

"Wait…one, two, three, four." I counted under my breath.

"Huh?" Erin looked at me as I counted.

"Just watch. That Mixeroid has a second effect." I quickly recounted.

"Now, I'll use Mixeroid's ability to fusion summon!" Syrus' glasses gleamed in very anime-like fashion. "By paying half of my life points, I can banish any number of machines from my grave to summon a Roid fusion monster with the same level as the number of those banished cards!" As Syrus spoke, the cement mixer began to turn. (Syrus 900/Mana 950)

"Woah, these effects are getting really complicated." Jasmine raised an eyebrow. Oh, just wait until Synchros and Exceeds come to the game, assuming that happens soon in this universe.

"I banish four from the graveyard and the Mixeroid on the field in order to fusion summon **Pair Cycroid (1600/1200)**!" The crowd expected some kind of epic boss monster to hit the board, and instead they got a purple tandem bike with cartoon eyes on the handlebars.

"You've gotta be kidding me…no offense, but Syrus doesn't exactly have the most badass monsters, does he?" Erin facepalmed.

"The Armoroid looks cool, too bad it got dumpstered right away." Mindy bantered.

"It's no Cyber End Dragon, but it's gonna get the job done. Watch this effect." I gestured to the game.

"Umm…that's cute, but I don't see how that's gonna beat my Dark Magicians. You really should have summoned back Armoroid." Mana's sweet voice sounded a bit annoying now – didn't she realize what Pair Cycroid did?

"Like I said, I'm not the same scared little kid I used to be. Well, I'm still scared of spiders…and exams…and heights….and Doctor Crowler…" Syrus' heroic speech was rather subverted by his honesty.

"Don't forget bats." Zane helpfully supplied.

"Oh yeah, and bats. But I'm not scared of playing a card game, and that's what really matters in this world! Pair Cycroid, attack her directly!" The bike pedaled effortlessly through the Dark Magicians and the Dark Magician girl.

"What, no way!" Mana yelped.

"This hot rod can attack directly regardless of how many monsters you have! Now, let's cross the finish line!" The tandem bicycle left Mana in the dust and gave Syrus the W. **(Syrus 900/Mana 0)**

The crowd was extremely displeased at this turn of events. "Boo, you suck Truesdale!" "We still love you Dark Magician Girl!" "Dark Magician Girl, please bear my children!" "Truesdale sucks eggs!" and so on. I may or may not have joined in on one of these chants, although I was actually glad that Syrus won. It would be good for his self-confidence, if not his popularity.

"Aw, thanks for cheering me on, everyone! I had such a fun time! And thanks for giving me such a great duel, Syrus! You're a real sweetheart!" She blew him a kiss, and Syrus was literally pinching himself as if to ensure that this wasn't a dream.

Then, the Dark Magician Girl looked at me, and gave a wink. "She can probably see you." I said to Sonata.

"Are you sure? Maybe she just likes you. You should see if you have any classes with her!" Sonata teased.

"I already know that she's a duel spirit." I said to take the wind out of her sails.

"Oh. Well, don't tell your friend that. He looks like he's on cloud 15000 right about now. Anyways, I think I'm gonna go talk to some of the other duel spirits around here. I'll catch you tonight, Jamie-kun." Sonata bid farewell.

"Be careful not to let Jaden or Chumley see you." I warned seriously. She just rolled her eyes and departed, flying through the air.

Across the field, I saw that many fans and admirers of the Dark Magician Girl were approaching her. She politely excused herself from the throng and "went to the bathroom" which probably meant that she was outta here. That girl would make a nice urban legend for the students, as I doubted that any of the students fathomed her true nature as a duel spirit.

We congratulated Syrus on his victory, but he was obsessed with looking for the Dark Magician Girl. "Did any of you guys see where she went?" He asked frantically.

None of us did, and Syrus comforted himself by saying that he would surely see her around later in the day. However, he never saw her again that day, and as the sun went down. As the stars came out, the Slifer Red dorm held an outdoor dance party which most of the school attended. I danced and socialized with my friends for a good deal of the night, forgetting my troubles for the time being. As I escaped the crowd to refill my drink however, I noticed Syrus sitting despondently near a bonfire started earlier by some Ra Yellows. My mind was hazy at this point, but I still felt obligated to see how he was doing.

"Did you ever find her, bud?" I hiccupped, handing Syrus a drink. He took it without hesitation.

"Nope." Syrus answered sadly. "Mana…who is she? There's no way someone like her would ever go to this school. I would have noticed her."

In my inebriated state, I had to consider my words extremely carefully so that I didn't spill any beans. "Dunno. Maybe she just traveled here for the festival." In a way, that was true. " _In a way, from a certain point of view, from a certain perspective…anything except the undiluted truth, right?"_

"You don't think that maybe…she was the real Dark Magician Girl?" Syrus said as we both watched the flame flicker into the sky.

"Anything is possible in this world." I responded.

"Doesn't matter all that much. I'm just glad she came. I sure had a lot of fun today." Syrus flushed. "Thank you, Dark Magician Girl."

Then, I saw particles of duel energy gather and coalesce into the form of the Dark Magician Girl, who stood between Syrus and I. She looked at me briefly and held her index finger to her mouth. "I hope you don't mind keeping quiet, Lancaster."

"Why?" Without knowing how, my thoughts were transmitted nonverbally.

She leaned over to Syrus and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I had fun too, Syrus. Thanks for the great duel! We'll meet again one day, I'm sure of it." Then she looked at me one last time. "That's why." Mana laughed musically one more time before disappearing again, off to who knows where.

Syrus touched the part of his cheek were he, on some level, felt the kiss. "N-no way, that had to be a dream…you're not pranking me, are you Lancaster!?" His joy suddenly turned to accusation.

"I have no clue what you're on about. _What_ exactly had to be a dream?" I grinned. Seeing him this happy was rare.

"Oh, uh…it's nothing. I think I should probably go to bed before I hallucinate some more" He meekly turned away. I shrugged and looked at the fire some more. Before Syrus could depart however, Jaden sat beside us, looking a bit frustrated

"Where have you been all day?" I asked, emptying my can and putting another one in Jaden's hand.

"Thanks." He said nonchalantly. "I was just looking around the island for a good duel."

"Did you find one?" I leaned back into the lawn chair.

"Nope, but I found something weird over at the harbor. An ancient Egyptian river barge with oars and everything. Looked like it was stolen straight out of a museum, but somehow someone managed to sail it to this island. The closest populated places to here are Japan and Hawaii. Can't imagine either of those places having any boats like that, don't ya think?" Jaden's explanation left me flabbergasted.

"Certainly nothing seaworthy, maybe a museum piece like you said. Is it still there?" I stood up waveringly.

"Yeah, it is. I don't know what the dockworkers are gonna do about it. I'm guessing a boat like that doesn't have a permit. The fact that something like that actually managed to sail here from across the sea just doesn't make sense." Jaden reasoned. I figured that Winged Kuriboh probably figured this out earlier and Jaden was just parroting what his duel spirit had said earlier.

"Barring any supernatural bullshit of course. Good thing we don't know any people who have ill-defined magical powers." I slurred my words slightly.

Jaden looked confused. "Huh? Sure we do, Jamie. The Shadow Riders fit that definition exactly."

"That was sarcasm, Jaden."

"No, that was you. Your name is Jamie, not sarcasm."

I glared at him, unsure if he was fucking with me or not. Eh, probably not. Taking a long sigh, I said, "Well, for the time being, we'll have to assume that a Shadow Rider is on the island. Man, I'm really not in the right state for this, and neither are most of the others, I'm sure."

"Oh yeah, you guys have been partying all day. Well, not to worry! The hero of justice is here to save the day!" Indulging in a bit of self-aggrandizement, he pointed a thumb at himself, sporting a cheeky grin. And yet, when I thought of how exhausted Jaden's been looking lately, it was hard to feel completely confident.

"Right. Well, if they want to duel, they would've attacked during the festival. As it is, they're probably biding their time. We'll discuss a search of the island with Professor Crowler tomorrow." I set my drink down.

"Let the others have their fun for tonight. Syrus in particular is in a good mood, and I don't want to spoil it." These people were kids, and they deserved to have some fun.

"Hey, far be it from me to bring the mood down! Now where is Syrus anyways?" Jaden grinned.

"Oh…" I turned and noticed that he wasn't next to me anymore. "Probably just milling around. You know he's not the type for dancing anyways."

Jaden nodded his thanks and went looking for his roommate. I resolved to go to bed, as I was probably going to need a good night's sleep if the worst-case scenario happens tomorrow. I was probably worrying too much. If the Shadow Riders continue their attacks as they always do, then we will most likely just have to deal with one of them at a time. If they continue doing that, then there shouldn't be that many issues…

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Kagemaru POV)

"Sir, we are due to land in Tokyo in thirty minutes. After that, we have a transport arranged that will take us to Academy Island. We will be there within the day and attack as a unit." Zaloog reported as he began to guide their small jet plane to its descent.

"So, this was an airplane, you said? Interesting devices….if you asked me if flying machines would become commonplace in the future, I would have said you were crazed." A slender brown-skinned man commented. He was adorned in ancient Egyptian finery, the very picture of a pharaoh. "My men are already on the island. We should have little trouble with the harbor guards."

"Silence, Abidos. Now is not the time for such inane observations. Focus your mind and body on the coming battles." A bulky man in a black trenchcoat and a derby hat growled from the back of the small passenger section. He wore a silver mask that covered his eyes and nose.

Inside his tank, Kagemaru muttered, "Titan is correct. Time in the dark depths has made you more rational, it seems." He barbed.

"Six months, to be precise. Master." Titan hastily added to the end of his sentence.

"Ah yes, six long months. Tell me, was endlessly regenerating only to be devoured by the darkness a pleasant sensation?" Kagemaru's words had unusual energy to them…it was as though bit by bit, his youth was returning to him.

Titan was coldly enraged. "No."

"It will happen again if you lose."

"I know. If I fail again, any punishment I receive is deserved." Titan bowed his head in deference.

"Don't say that. Death is a horrible thing, a horror beyond horrors. We will not suffer that horror. We will live forever and become legends, all of us. But in order to gain precious life, we must take life away. Are you all prepared to do that?" Kagemaru demanded. Of course they all responded in the affirmative – they all owed their lives to Kagemaru, and would serve him in every endeavor he asked of them.

"I can feel it…the power in these cards. A power that transcends dimensions. A power that can fight death itself." And when he thought of death, Kagemaru thought of two boys. Jamie Lancaster, who destroyed Camula without a whit of remorse using strange cards, and Jaden Yuki, who had the dark powers unfathomable lurking beneath the façade of a smiling adolescent. Demons, the both of them.

"What shall be done with the teachers, sir?" Zaloog asked hesitantly.

"Most will die. Crowler's ambition may prove useful if allied to our vision. The rest are irrelevant, in the truest sense of the word."

"And Sheppard?" Titan growled.

"To be killed. Unlike Seto Kaiba, we will have no need for puppets. He will be tossed aside."

 _"Seto Kaiba houses dark forces and gives them space to grow, believing he can hone those forces to serve his own ends. He is a monster too, albeit a very human one. No, their deaths are necessary…they're right."_ The would-be immortal rationalized.

"The invasion begins tomorrow."

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **Right off the bat, let's get one thing straight: I am not trying to diss or insult people who read or write Naruto/DxD fanfics. It's just banter. I mean I'm writing a Yugioh GX SI, I'm perfectly aware that I'm not really in any position to talk shit. It's just a joke – shouldn't have to say it, but you know how people are.**

 **Other than that, I thought I'd give Syrus a little limelight/character development this chapter and a nice win over the Dark Magician Girl. I like to diss Syrus quite a bit, but I assure you it's not out of maliciousness. There are few characters I actually dislike in this series and Syrus is not one of them, he's actually decently well written. This chapter is very much the calm before the storm, as the end of the chapter implied. Unlike in canon, the remaining Shadow Riders are mounting a joint assault, and plan to catch the key keepers off guard. I'm excited to write the final battles of this arc! Next chapter should out a bit earlier than this one, as my job gets pretty busy at the beginning of April specifically. It's a pleasure writing this story and I don't plan to stop until it is finished. Thanks to you all for your continued readership and support – can't say it enough! Catch you on the flippity-flip!**


	23. Where We Droppin' Boys?

Chapter 23: Where We Droppin' Boys?

(Erin Reid POV)

She got up early, as was her way. Unlike many of her peers, Erin didn't party to excess during the Spirit Day festival yesterday, and managed to get a decent amount of sleep so she could wake up with the sun.

Overall, the training session was wholly ordinary – a three mile run, alternating sets of pushups and ab exercises, and a hour long surf. Competition season was coming up, and Erin wanted to be ready. She always felt refreshed after her morning workout – as she grabbed her backpack, surfboard, and duel disk, she felt ready for the day.

Her walk back to the dorm took her by the harbor, her black and purple bodysuit wicking moisture and drying in the sea breeze. It was normally a pleasant trip, watching the ships go in and out. But today, something was amiss. No, many things were amiss.

The first thing she noticed was an Ancient Egyptian river boat docked amongst modern ferries and barges. "What on earth?" She approached the boat with pleased curiosity, still in a rather good mood and unsuspecting of any shadowy intent.

"How strange…it must have sailed quite a distance to get here, but it looks practically untouched. Like a museum piece. This thing couldn't possibly be seaworthy." She muttered to herself, twirling her braided brown hair in her fingers.

Moving to get a closer look, she leaned down from the edge of the dock to touch the boat.

Her hand passed right through it. Erin's navy blue eyes widened. She tried to touch it again, to no effect. "Okay…am I still drunk?"

"No, dear." A old man's voice, its pitch and tempo slightly altered by cybernetics. "Your understanding is merely incomplete."

Slowly, Erin turned around and laid eyes upon what might have been the strangest looking collection of people she had ever seen. There was an effeminate-looking duelist garbed in ancient Egyptian robes and jewelry, sporting a confident expression. There was a man cloaked in black and silver, with a grey mask obscuring the upper half of his face. Five goons clad in practical brown jackets and cargo pants leered at her menacingly. And in the center was an elderly man stuck inside a futuristic mobile healing tank. His vitals were improving by the moment – it was though he was aging in reverse. The old man was the one who spoke.

Erin recalled the details Jamie described at the meeting of the key keepers – a group that she wished to be a part of, but wasn't – of a man named Kagemaru, who was the leader of the Shadow Riders. This man appeared to match that description exactly. One thing was for sure – these people weren't ordinary tourists.

"N-no way! You're…" She sputtered.

"Yes, yes." The old man said impatiently. "I'm me. And you are…who are you exactly?"

Erin grit her teeth in most un-ladylike fashion. "I'm Erin Reid, future pro surfer and the most powerful female duelist at Central Duel Academy! Remember that name!"

"Oh…oh. Is she on the list?" Kagemaru asked the man with the mask.

Taking out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, the masked man shook his head. "Nope. Only female key keeper is Alexis Rhodes."

"Ah, that's right. Well then, would you be so kind as to point us in the direction of Alexis Rhodes? We have…a transaction we wish to discuss with her. While you're at it, I'd personally like to know the locations of Jaden Yuki and Jamie Lancaster. Thanks." Kagemaru demanded passive-aggressively.

Erin crossed her arms defiantly. "No way! I'm not telling you people anything! I know exactly what you are – shadow riders!"

"We also go by Seven Stars, or _Shichisei_ if you're a weeaboo." One of the goons piped up.

"Well forgive me, but if you don't have a key, we're really not interested in you. If you refuse to tell us the names of the key keepers, we'll just be on our way." Kagemaru's tank began to scuttle away like a crab. "Fan out and begin searching the dorms. The scorpions will take the Ra Yellow dorm, while the rest of us will storm Obelisk Blue. That should lure Yuki right into our hands."

The Shadow Riders began to move out, but as they turned around, they saw Erin standing in their way, duel disk at the ready.

"Forget it! If you know what's good for you, you'll leave this island now and never return. I wasn't kidding about being the strongest woman at this school." Erin threatened.

"Do these people know one of their serving wenches is loose?" The Egyptian man asked conspiratorially.

"Abidos, it's the current year, you can't say stuff like that." An eyepatched man with silver hair quickly muttered, drawing a line across his throat with his index finger.

"I don't mean to insult you, but if you don't have a key and Alexis Rhodes does, then that implies that she is more capable of defending said key, and is therefore stronger. Catch my drift? Just tell us where the strong people are." Kagemaru reasoned.

Erin was pissed now. "You take that back! You'll regret saying that! You're just a crazy old man trapped inside a kid's action figure! And don't forget that action figures can be broken! I won't be fooled- you want to kill us all!" She ranted.

"This wench is really annoying. You know what we used to do with uppity wenches back in my day?" Abidos commented.

"What was that?!" Erin roared.

"Dude, just shut up. This is really bad optics." The eyepatched man shut him down.

"Well, this girl does exhibit a higher than average level of duel energy…in fact, this island is positively permeated with duel energy. It may assist with my revival…fine, I'll indulge you, girl." Kagemaru's machine prepared his duel disk. "It will be an opportunity to test a portion of my new powers as well."

 _"No way! I can take down the leader right here and now! I just have to play my cards right! Finally, a bit of glory!"_ Erin thought excitedly. "Let's fight, then! But don't think just because of your advanced age I'm gonna go easy on you!"

Kagemaru sighed in exasperation. "Once I'm done with absorbing her duel energy, I'll join up with you. Scorpions, Titan, Abidos – keep to your current assignments."

"Yes, sir!" Each of the remaining Shadow Riders fanned out, on the hunt for the key keepers.

As Kagemaru spoke, Erin quickly sent out a text to the key keeper group chat informing them of the situation. They would have minutes, precious minutes, to prepare, but it was better than nothing.

 _"I'll show them all that I deserved to be a key keeper!"_ She thought fiercely.

Kagemaru looked upon her with utter disinterest. "A little extra testing of my new deck is helpful, I suppose."

"Get ready! It's time to duel!" Erin declared confidently.

XXxXxXxXxXxxXxxxXX

(Jamie Lancaster (My) POV)

Never before had text on a screen alarmed and enraged me more. "What is she thinking, taking on Kagemaru on alone! We have no idea what he's capable of!" Erin was always impetuous and eager to prove herself…a trait that could easily lead to her death here. Kagemaru was obviously going to prepare his deck as best he could to fight my Melodious cards…the others wouldn't stand a damn chance if I didn't intervene right now!

"Jamie, I can sense a strange foreign power from the south, near the docks. That might be where they are!" Sonata was alarmed – this power was clearly no joke.

"Well, that's just great!" That was a long ways from here. "Let's go! There's no time to waste!" I threw on a blue hoodie and white shorts before rushing out of the dorm. "Take to the skies and look for any suspicious looking people. One of them should look like an Egyptian Pharaoh, another should be wearing heavy dark clothes with a silver mask. There's another group of five motherfuckers, each with a scorpion tattoo. You'll know em when you see em. Come back to me after you see where they're going and I'll notify the crew." I hastily explained to Sonata as I sprinted across the campus.

"Got it!" She nodded before ascending skyward. Luckily, Erin had the sense to at least send a group message about what was going on. That must've used up her supply of logic for the day or something. I shouldn't be so quick to blame her, they might have got the jump on her. But how would Kagemaru know who she was? And the wording of her message implied that she initiated the duel to some extent.

A few minutes later, Sonata had returned and was flying alongside me. "The gang of five is headed for the Ra Yellow dorm. The other two are on the way to the Obelisk Blue dorms. Take a side path to cut around them. It'll cost you a few extra minutes, but it'll be quicker than dealing with the henchmen." She quickly relayed.

I grunted, beginning to feel the burn from this impromptu sprint. I momentarily stopped to inform Bastion, Alexis, and Zane further. Wait…something was amiss. "Nothing is heading Jaden's way?" After sending the message, I started to run again, sweat beginning to dot my forehead.

"No. Perhaps they thought that none of the key keepers would be Slifers. It is the lowest ranked dorm, right?" The idol singer speculated.

"Kagemaru has files on us, he's had access to the school system's records for many years. He would know that Jaden is a Slifer Red. It's possible that he aims to go after Jaden himself." I guessed.

"If Jaden is unoccupied, you should go get him. Maybe you can team up against Kagemaru! That would surely improve your odds!" She suggested brightly.

I looked at her with wide eyes. "You know that means I won't be able to use the Divas, right?"

"Come on Jamie, just trust your friends. They won't think any differently of you if they know the truth." She suggested. "You might not be able to win if you use your cover deck."

"No way! They can never know. Ever!" I scowled and pushed forward. But no matter how hard I tried to suppress them, the memories came back again. They would always come back.

XxXxXxXxXxXXxXxXxXxXxXx

" _Thanks for coming out here, I know it's late." She said, eyes twinkling. "I hope you don't have to work tomorrow."_

" _I do, but it's no problem." I responded. "I would do anything for you." I thought, caught in the throes of love for the first time in many years._

 _"I know one day, our hard work will pay off."_

 _I scoffed at my best friend's corny words, but inwardly admired his sincerity and agreed. "Well, at least we can say that we did things our way. Those who have never had dreams wouldn't understand."_

 _"You're selling all of your cards?"_

 _"Yeah, just don't have the time to spend on Yu-Gi-Oh these days."_

 _"That's a shame, I remember you used to really enjoy the game. What changed?"_

 _"I can't be playing around with kids stuff anymore."_

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

I hastily suppressed the memories, every fiber of my being burying those images deep. That was the furthest they've arisen in a long time…a really long time.

 _"I had so much I wanted to do with my life…It doesn't matter, I can't do anything about it now…"_ I muttered to myself over and over, even as a new well of volcanic rage opened within me.

"Jamie, what's the matter?" Sonata asked in concern.

"I was just thinking about the past. But this isn't the time for that. This time, things will be different. I swear it." She understood it. Sonata was the only one who knew the whole truth, and believe me, some parts of it were ugly beyond compare. I was so grateful that she listened and cared. But we both knew that it was of the utmost importance to focus on the mission now.

"I have a second chance now, to live a truly excellent life. And I refuse to let the past haunt today. They don't have to know."

"I understand where you're coming from, Jamie. But this is a different world. These are different people, they're not like the ones that-" She began.

"I'll decide when we get there. And I'll take your viewpoint into account, but this is no time to brood. This is the time to put some of that kids' stuff to good use, right?" The current goal of defeating Kagemaru kept the sadness at bay. The anger was going to put to good use, but the sadness would be locked away as it always was. She looked at me somberly, but nodded.

"Let's keep moving." We said simultaneously.

XxXxXxXxXxXxxXxXxXxXxXxXXx

(Bastion Misawa POV)

Bastion was eating breakfast with his girlfriend Jasmine when he got the message from Erin.

"Who is that texting you?" Jasmine tried not to seem overly curious, although in reality she was prepared to look through Bastion's DM's and photos the second he left his phone unlocked. Unfortunately for her, he was very prudent about keeping it out of her hands.

"It was Erin…" Bastion set his tea down in shock upon reading the message.

"Oh, you have her number? Why?" Jasmine started giving him drama, but Bastion had no time for it.

"I have to get my duel disk now! A shadow rider is on their way here!" Bastion rushed out of the dining hall to his room, leaving her confused. He very nearly caused a scene, but the Ra Yellow cafeteria was large enough that his words didn't carry fully.

"No way…how would Erin know about that? Why wouldn't she duel one of these Shadow Riders if she saw them? Must be because of the key." Jasmine surmised. In a minute, Bastion had returned with his duel disk affixed to his left arm.

"Jasmine, please wait here. I'm going to face this foe head-on, and I don't want any harm to come to you." He said, polite as ever.

"What? No way, you can't go face this enemy by yourself! You should contact Zane or…ugh, Lancaster, I suppose." She suggested, despite her dislike of Jamie.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that. I was chosen to wield a key as well. I've been spending long hours in the lab, and I refuse to let them go to waste. The fate of a sideline observer is not for me. I may be rational and scientific first and foremost, but I still have a duelist's pride!" Bastion pounded his fist into the table with uncharacteristic emotion. "It is my greatest hope that you would support me in this endeavor, but if not, then please stand clear."

Jasmine was utterly shocked at this change in demeanor. Standing on the sidelines for so long must have really grated on Bastion after a while. No one studied as hard as him, and yet he had to struggle to stay in the game while others like Jaden seemingly coasted their way to the top. Jasmine wasn't much of a duelist, but she could understand his frustration. And ultimately, she would support her man when the chips were down.

"Alright, alright. I'll be right behind you, babe. But just be careful, ok?" She relented, her voice soft and gentle.

Bastion smiled. "I always come prepared."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Bastion and Jasmine left the dining hall and waited on the walkway leading away from the Ra Yellow dorm. Bastion was searching through the six decks he brought with him. The common banter around campus was that Bastion looked like a bomber with his custom deck vest on – kids hardly cared for things like tact or taste when considering such jokes.

 _"We'll see who's laughing after this. Bastion Misawa is no side character. You're a main protagonist, damn it!"_ Bastion grinned, putting a spin on Jamie's "I'm not a harem protagonist, damn it!" catchphrase. Ever since his former roommate left Ra Yellow, Bastion worried that he was beginning to fall behind compared to his friends. This match would be a good opportunity to show how much he had improved.

In a few minutes, he saw them. Five people with matching black scorpion tattoos on their right shoulders and brown leather jackets stood in his path. In the back was a bald, burly strongman with a stitched wound running diagonally across his face. Ahead of him were two men. One wore spectacles, messy brown hair, and a calculating expression. The other was short, blond, and jittery, a comically large wooden hammer affixed to his back. Second in command was a sultry brunette with unnatural crimson eyes who eyed him with a devious smirk. In the front was the leader, a man with lank shoulder-length silver hair and an eye patch engraved with the Eye of Horus on his right eye. He held an easy expression compared to the others, as though this were just another day on the job.

"Wait a second, these people look familiar…" Bastion wondered aloud, before he put two and two together. "These people are cosplaying as the Dark Scorpion cards! Well I hate to break it to you, but Spirit Day was yesterday."

The red-eyed woman snickered. "Oh, he's right you know. Perhaps we should just take our leave and wait for next year…" Something in her tone made Bastion very uncomfortable.

"W-wait, really?" The blond pipsqueak asked hopefully.

"We'll go home soon, Chick. But first we gotta take care of our target. Let's see, slicked-back black hair, Ra Yellow, and a spirit key. That's the profile for Bastion Misawa, a key keeper. That your name, lad?" The eyepatched man asked with a chilled-out demeanor.

"It is. And you are Shadow Riders, I presume." Bastion said with a clipped voice, growing serious.

"And what if we are?" The bald bruiser spoke up.

"If you are, then you'd better hope your dueling abilities are as good as your cosplay skills. I never leave victory to chance, especially where my life and health is concerned." Bastion wasn't one for trash talk, but he knew how to stand his ground.

They chuckled again. "We're not cosplayers. We're the real deal – the Dark Scorpion Black Ops Unit! We've been taking on all sorts of missions in the Duel Monsters Spirit Realm before you were even a glimmer in your daddy's eye. If you know what's good for ya, you'll hand over that key." The bespectacled man polished a knife as he made his threats.

"Duel spirits…" Bastion, for all his skepticism, was forced to admit at this point that duel spirits were real – at this point, there was little use in denying it. But like any problem, he would handle it logically. "So what business do duel spirits have working for a human?"

"Kagemaru is no ordinary man – his ability to speak with spirits is far beyond all others. But most importantly, he's been paying us out the ass to move him around and conduct stealth operations. It's been easy work, and I don't expect that to change now. Now we're going to show you our teamwork! I'm Don Zaloog!" the silver-haired man boasted.

"Gorg the Strong!" The bald one grunted.

"C-chick the Yellow!" The blonde boy stammered.

"Meanae the Thorn!" The woman hissed.

"Cliff the Trap Remover!" The man with glasses grinned.

"And we're the Dark Scorpions!" Each of them struck a rather Sentai-esque pose – certainly not the sort of behavior Bastion would expect from a so-called military unit. Then again, duel spirits always seemed to be a little goofy one way or another.

Bastion and Jasmine sweatdropped. _"Ah, I would've preferred if I got a more serious adversary…these people look like a quirky miniboss squad, if I had to put an arbitrary label to it."_ Bastion thought, bemused.

"Prepare for defeat, Misawa!" Don Zaloog stepped forward and activated an Academy-issued duel disk. Bastion wondered where he got it from, but something else sprung up in his mind at that moment.

"Wait a minute, there's no way I'm agreeing to a five-on-one match! You will have to choose among yourselves a representative." He sputtered, causing Jasmine to laugh.

"That's not a problem. Our teamwork will be shown through my deck!" Don Zaloog stepped forward and activated his duel disk. "Ever since we started relying on the power of friendship, we haven't lost a game! And keep in mind, we're playing a Dark Scorpion deck! If you think reason and logic will win the day, you haven't been paying attention, Misawa!"

 _"He may be on to something."_ Bastion thought ruefully, remembering Jaden's endless platitudes about friendship and the heart of the cards. "Be that as it may, I cannot turn my back on my style of dueling. Now let us begin."

"Very well!" Don Zaloog began. "I'll set a monster and a face-down to end my turn."

Bastion silently drew his first card, crunching numbers in his mind. "I summon the bull Yokai, **Gozuki (1700/800)**!" A black minotaur rose from the hearth, blue bangles hanging its meaty throat and an enormous spiked hammer in its oddly humanoid hands.

"Ah, so you're using that deck, eh Bastion?" Jasmine said. She had personally helped him develop this deck recipe, and she was glad to see it put to good use.

"What is this?" Don Zaloog quickly asked his entourage.

"We have data on this, boss." Cliff spoke up immediately. "This is Bastion Misawa's Yokai deck, based on zombies that activate their effects when they're summoned from the graveyard."

 _"So, they've been keeping tabs on us. Good thing I've made a few key adjustments just last night. Their data might not be so reliable as they think…"_ Bastion thought with a poker face worthy of Adam Sugihara.

"I activate Gozuki's effect." Bastion continued. "I can send a zombie type monster from my deck to the graveyard." Searching through his deck, Bastion decided to dump a monster card named Mezuki.

"Then, I'll launch an attack!" The bull leapt into the air, swinging its hammer down with tremendous force. Its attack was true, landing on **Mystic Tomato (1400/1100)**. The giant fruit was squashed by the hammer, causing seeds and juice to fly everywhere.

"An attribute summoner…shoulda known." Bastion grumbled.

"That's right, Mystic Tomato lets me summon a dark monster with 1500 or less attack points from my deck." To Bastion's surprise, **Don Zaloog** himself stepped onto the field.

"Hmm? What's going on?" Bastion asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"I already told ya, we're the real deal. I am **Don Zaloog (1400/1500)** and I can fight my own battles!" The commander declared to cheers from his compatriots.

"I see…as admirable as fighting on the front lines is, a duelist is a general. And I'm a general who marshals his forces from the rear and keeps a cool head during battle. It will take more than this to unbalance me. I set a card and end my turn." Bastion frowned.

Zaloog and his crew concentrated intently for a moment before he drew his next card. _"Why did he pause?"_ Bastion wondered.

The mercernary seemed pleased by his latest draw. "First, I activate **Reinforcement of the Army** , allowing me to add a level four or lower warrior to my hand."

"Next, I play **Mustering of the Dark Scorpions**! Since I am on the field, I can summon any number of Dark Scorpions from my hand, and I have four! Come forth, **Chick the Yellow (1000/1000)** , **Cliff the Trap Remover (1200/1000),** **Gorg the Strong (1800/1500)** and **Meanae the Thorn (1000/1800)**!" The messy haired infiltration specialist, the burly strongman, and the red-eyes femme fatale immediately leapt to the side of their captain. After steeling his nerves, the blond boy jumped into the fray as well.

Just like that, Zaloog had five monsters on his field, the entirety of his crew. Bastion marveled at his luck – the likelihood of such an opening hand was surely low. Although he always wanted to assume that his opponents would have some sense of fair play, Bastion couldn't help but grow suspicious that Zaloog had stacked his deck. For now though, he remained content to watch his opponent's next move.

"Now, I activate my trap card, **Dark Scorpion Combination**! When the five Dark Scorpions are on the field, each of us can attack you directly for 400 points of damage each!" The squad then struck another series of silly poses. Sticking his ass out at Bastion, Zaloog peered at the Ra Yellow duelist from between his legs.

"Sic em!" Each of the Dark Scorpions rushed Bastion, striking him with each of their weapons. They each took a pass at him, leaving him on one knee. **(Bastion 2000/Zaloog 4000)**

 **"** Oh no, Bastion!" Jasmine cried in worry.

 _"Damn…they didn't attack the Gozuki, so I couldn't use his effect…"_ Bastion thought ruefully, quickly returning to his feet. "How? How could you have opened with the exact cards you needed? That type of opening hand is one in a thousand!" He asked, baffled.

They each grinned at him cheesily, sneaky Cliff being the first one to speak up. "The boss already told you why, genius."

"Isn't he supposed to be some sort of prodigy? I guess Ra Yellow really is for the mediocre…" Meanae said viciously.

"I'll tell him one more time. Just make sure you're paying attention this time." Zaloog said with considerable smarm. "Our bond is our strength! Your logic can never defeat the power of friendship!"

 _"Oh no….what if he's right?"_ Bastion worried.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXXxXxXxXxXXxX

(Alexis Rhodes POV)

The Ice Queen of Obelisk Blue normally rose from bed with grace and poise, as befitting of her position. She had a reputation to maintain, and her girlfriends outwardly respected her unflappable demeanor while inwardly they fumed with jealousy and selfishness.

Today was not a normal day however, as she had a bit too much to drink at the festival last night. In very unladylike fashion, she rolled out of bed and threw on some sweats, not caring to do her hair or makeup for the moment.

"Ugggggggggggghhhhh." She mumbled, drinking a little water in an attempt to cure her headache. Ambling over to the curtains, she drew them back and allowed sunlight to shine through. Alexis knew that sitting on the balcony and getting some fresh air would be helpful, if only incrementally. The grounds were such a beautiful place to observe as well. They were always peaceful and quiet this time of day.

Because of this assumption, Alexis was very surprised to see what appeared to be a battalion of ancient Egyptian soldiers in full regalia marching towards the Obelisk Blue girls dorm, spears in hand. In the center of the formation was a sedan chair carried by four of the troops, its contents obscured by white linen curtains. Stereotypically Egyptian music was even playing from somewhere!

"Am I still drunk?" Alexis was sincerely wondering. The entourage came to a stop, setting the litter down with surprising gentleness. The curtains were opened, and the clear leader of the group touched down. He was so beautiful and slender that Alexis thought him a woman at first, black makeup accentuating exotic indigo eyes and dark skin. This man's regal presence and beauty nearly took Alexis' breath away.

Then, he opened his mouth. Taking out a modern megaphone that clashed hilariously with the rest of his aesthetic, the good-looking man shouted.

"ATTENTION, ALL WENCHES! I AM LORD ABIDOS III, MIGHTY PHARAOH OF EGYPT AND A TRUE SHADOW RIDER! IF YOU VALUE YOUR LIVES, YOU WILL BRING BEFORE ME ALEXIS RHODES OF OBELISK BLUE!"

Alexis felt any attraction fizzle quickly. "Did this pig just call us wenches?!" She muttered, feeling a vein throb in her temple. "I'm really not in the mood for this crap!"

"Oi, shut up down there! We had to deal with enough of you weird LARPers yesterday!" A voice sounded from the floor below her. Apparently, none of the Obelisk Blue girls felt very threatened by this so-called pharaoh.

 _"Wait a minute…a pharaoh named Abidos…why is that name familiar?"_ Alexis found herself wondering, her mind trying where she had heard of this guy before.

"I WILL CONTINUE TO PESTER YOU WITH THIS MEGAPHONE UNTIL MY REQUEST IS FULFILLED!" Abidos clearly had a winning strategy, because Alexis knew she didn't have a choice but to engage him. He seemed ridiculous and foolish, but he was still a Shadow Rider, and therefore dangerous in his own right.

"Besides, this one might finally have some knowledge about Atticus…" It frustrated Alexis to no end that her brother was still trapped in a coma. She felt as though no matter how hard she fought, her brother would never fully return to her. But she refused to give up hope. These supernatural forces were beyond her understanding, but instinctually she knew that there had to be some way to restore Atticus' sanity. And if this ostentatious fool had the answers, then she would fight like the devil to get those answers.

Forgetting the makeup, Alexis quickly tied her hair into a ponytail and rushed out of the Obelisk Blue complex with duel disk in hand. Standing outside the gates, Alexis gave Abidos a hard glare.

"So, you're a shadow rider, huh? Well you can put the megaphone down. I'm Alexis Rhodes, and I'm here to defeat you." She said in no-nonsense tone.

Abidos motioned for his boys to stand clear, and they formed a perimeter around the two duelists. The pharaoh gazed upon the key hanging from Alexis' pale neck, and he smiled confidently. "Good, I see you have a key. In that case, we will begin. I promise this will not take long." He retrieved his duel disk from inside of the caravan he rode in on. It was unlike the academy-issued duel disks, having black and gold assets that made it look like an artifact in itself.

Alexis couldn't help but smirk back. "Oh, really? And just what makes you so sure of yourself? You don't even know what you're dealing with. And what's with this ridiculous pharaoh getup? Spirit Day was yesterday!" She made the same joke Bastion did – it was rather an easy one to make, in all fairness.

"Wha-how dare you! I am no impostor! You should bend the knee now and beg for my forgiveness for such a slight! I am the most powerful duelist to ever live!" Abidos boasted frantically.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear that line every other week, and that's just from my fellow Obelisk Blue students. Kinda loses its effect after a while." Alexis brushed him off. Unlike Bastion's situation, no crowd formed around this duel. The other Obelisk Blue girls were spending the weekend sleeping in, and this affair did not particularly interest them.

Abidos fumed. The nerve of this wench! "You truly do not know my name? What are they teaching you whelps these days? The future is even more hopeless than I could of dared imagine!"

Then, Alexis remembered where she had heard his name before. "Wait a minute…Professor Drummond talked about you in class before! You're…the pharaoh who never lost a match!" She realized with dawning horror.

"Yes, now you remember." Abidos gestured to the eye of Horus that was engraved on his headdress. "And master Kagemaru revived me to assist in ruling over this world."

"How generic." She grumbled.

"Silence! Now you will learn the price of your impudence! Let us duel!" Abidos activated his duel disk while his men held the circle so that Alexis could not escape.

 _"Shit…this guy is supposed to be even stronger than the pharaoh Atem! How on earth am I supposed to win?"_ Alexis wasn't sure if she could do this, but if there was even a chance that this guy knew how to retrieve her brother's consciousness, then there was no choice but to fight. "Duel!" They shouted.

"I shall begin." Abidos declared, completely flouting any sort of fair or equitable way to determine turn order. "Prepare to witness power beyond compare!"

"Oh no…what if he has an Egyptian God?" Alexis panicked.

"I summon **Pharaoh's Servant (900/0).** A frail, mummified Egyptian soldier rose from the earth and took the field, a dusty spear in its hands. A gold tunic and headdress were the only remarkable thing about its appearance. In fact, it was just a weak normal monster with no real utility whatsoever.

"Hahahahaha! Well, what do you think of that, key keeper!" Abidos bragged as if he had just made some sort of 500-IQ play. "I'll set a card and end my turn."

"What the Nani?" was all Alexis could say.

XxXXxXxXxXxXxXxxxXxXx

(Erin Reid POV)

Erin huffed with effort – she was throwing everything she had at this guy and yet he still seemed unfazed! Her position seemed strong. On her left was a **Spined Gillman (1700/0)** , a merman which boosted all of her fish, sea serpent, and aqua monsters. On her right was the **Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth (2800/2200 before boost, 3200/2200 after Spined Gillman boost)** , a powerful fish monster that swam through the air with a regal and majestic power, its dark purple scales shimmering in the reflection of the sea.

She had never seen any cards like the ones Kagemaru was now using. They were versatile in their effects, and unusually powerful compared to even the top meta cards she knew. But she knew that if she tried her best, she could still pull out the win with effort.

Kagemaru's expression was placid inside of his life support machine. "Ah, very good…your duel energy is invigorating. I can feel my own increasing exponentially as this fight goes on…I almost have enough. Yours will be enough."

Her light brown hair fluttered in the deceptively calm morning breeze. " _I can't let this guy's crazy talk throw me off…."_

"I set one card and end my turn." She slapped the card down impatiently. Despite her seeming advantage, something was amiss.

"Very well. During your end phase, I activate the quick-play spell **Fires of Doomsday** , allowing me to summon two **Doomsday Tokens (0/0)** to the field." Two sprites comprised of black flame with a single blue eye took the field silently. Erin eyed them warily, sure that they were setup for a larger play.

"My turn. Draw…." Kagemaru's pale eyes widened at his latest card. Despite the fact that his field was empty but for some weak tokens, he looked as though he was about to win.

"Oh, my dear…there is a whole universe of power out there beyond your understanding…I'm afraid you're just a small fish in a very big pond." His words were insulting, but his tone was conciliatory, as though he really did feel bad for her. "I was unaware of the full power of fusion summoning until recently, but now my eyes are open….I can see clearly in the darkness!"

"I activate **Polymerization**!" He chanted, vines and roots shooting up from the ground.

XxXxXxxxXxXxXxxXxxXxXxX

(Zane Truesdale POV)

Zane Truesdale had risen early that morning to visit his friend Atticus in the hospital wing. The two of them went way back, and it was through their childhood friendship at elementary school that Zane met Alexis. The pair of siblings were certainly different from each other, but in a complementary way. Thinking of Atticus' goofy sense of humor made Zane smile and think of the good times. Then, he got angry.

He hoped Lyman Banner was in agony, wherever he was. Dying was one thing, but being forced on the edge between oblivion and existence, your own body being used by a demon…Zane was normally cool and collected, but this was enough to well and truly stoke his rage. If Atticus were in his position and Zane were the one in the hospital bed, the elder Rhodes sibling would hunt day and night for the one responsible for putting Zane there, this he knew.

Zane cursed his impotence. He felt guilty, sifting through offers from the pro leagues while a sword of Damocles hung over his friend's head. Graduating and moving onto better things while Atticus wilted in a coma bothered him deeply. If there was any chance at all to make things better, to make them right…Zane would take it without hesitation.

"I've got class. I'll stop by later, Atticus." Zane said quietly, rising from the bedside seat. Moving the curtains out of the way, the Kaiser made to step out of the hospital wing.

Stuck in his brooding thoughts, Zane was utterly shocked to hear screaming from the front of the building. A moment later, the alarms sounded, turning the main lights off and bathing the hallways in a deep red hue. Zane hurried to the receptionist's desk, the alarm shrieking in his ears.

Three hospital staff lay slumped on the ground, shivering in pain. An unusually tall man clad in dark black coat and hat stood over the bodies, holding Professor Fontaine up by the neck with one hand. Something about that silver mask seemed somewhat familiar to Zane, but he couldn't be sure as to where. The Kaiser hid behind the corner of a wall, taking a moment to assess the situation.

"I'll ask once more, woman…you have two choices. Tell me where Atticus Rhodes is. Rest assured, I will tear this place apart if it means finding him regardless of your cooperation. But if you tell me, you and your staff will go unharmed." In his tirade, the masked man hadn't noticed Zane yet. "And while you're at it, you'll tell me where to find a key keeper if you know what's good for you."

"Z-Zane!" Fontaine struggled in the thug's grasp, but seeing the Kaiser with duel disk in hand was enough to give her some hope. Zane grimaced – this person must be a particularly violent Shadow Rider.

"Ah, yes, the Truesdale boy. That's a good start. Tell me where he is." The man's grip loosened so as to allow her to speak.

"I'm right here." Despite the din of the alarm, there was a certain menace in Zane's normally calm voice that commanded attention. "Now put her down."

The masked man turned his to the side, leering at the Kaiser. "A stroke of luck. I do hate games of cat and mouse." With a flick of his free hand, the invader destroyed the alarms with blasts of dark energy, sending shards of glass flying across the room. The noise was dimmed slightly, although the alarms were still ringing in other parts of the building.

"That's good, because I don't want to waste any time either." Zane was confident he could take this guy down. He just wondered if this brute was the only Shadow Rider on the island…and what was this man's business with Atticus anyways?

"Tell me how to restore Atticus' mind." Zane commanded, although he didn't really expect a helpful answer.

"If you want it so badly, then the way forward should be clear. I too demand something of you – that key. And there's only one way to get it." Casually, the thug threw Fontaine aside. The throw packed unusual strength – Fontaine collided with the wall with an uncomfortable crack.

"Professor Fontaine!" Zane rushed over to his gym teacher's side, although he didn't take his off of the enemy for a second. "Are you alright?"

She puckered in pain, but nodded stoically nonetheless. "I'll be fine, Zane. You already know what you need to do." She hissed. Zane set her down gently, knowing that she was right.

Glaring at his foe, Zane activated his duel disk. " _Wait a minute – I remember now – Alexis told me about a hired goon with a silver mask that kidnapped her at the beginning of the year. Jaden and his boys managed to defeat this guy and save her. He might be connected to the abandoned dorm incident."_ He thought quickly.

"Well, if Jaden managed to beat you, then I feel a little better about my chances." Zane wasn't intentionally being arrogant, he was just stating what he thought to be the truth.

The masked man scowled. "Your information is outdated. I have gown leagues stronger since that day when that Slifer Red boy banished me to the shadows. My master has imbued me with tremendous power from the World of Darkness! And once I am done with you, this whole island will fear the name of Titan!"

 _"Oh boy, the usual villain rant."_ Although Zane didn't know it, his exasperation mirrored Alexis'. But he was a man of his word, and he just vowed that he would do everything in his power to win back Atticus' sanity.

" _And beating this guy down is definitely within my power."_ Zane thought, glancing at his deck with a short smile. As long as he trusted in his deck and dueled with honor, he wouldn't go astray.

"Let the game of darkness begin!" Titan declared cruelly, standing across the ruined entryway from Zane.

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"Let's hurry! An enormous power just appeared down by the docks!" Sonata pointed me in the right direction, sounding much more panicked than before.

"What the hell is it?" I asked impatiently. "Can you sense what it is specifically?"

"I'm trying, but this doesn't exactly match anything I've really sensed before. It's similar, but…not the same. I don't know." She confessed.

"It's fine, no matter what, I know the two of us can win." I said gruffly.

"Aww…" She cooed. "That was sweet, Jamie-kun."

"Thanks, but realistically speaking, there's really no possible way that Kagemaru should be able to beat us, unless he somehow got some cards from my timeline…oh shit." I started pouring on the speed, working up a sweat quickly.

I broke through the tree line and made my way to the southern coast. There, I saw a horrible sight.

Erin was sprawled on the sand, clearly in pain. Across the way, I saw my enemy; a dark green aura surrounded Kagemaru.

"Yes, that's it! The power…the power is mine!" Strangely, as Kagemaru cackled, his machine seemed to be coming apart at the seams, close to bursting.

"Somehow, he's absorbing her duel energy!" Sonata noted, and as I concentrated, I could see trails of energy leaving Erin's body and entering Kagemaru's – it looked a lot like chakra from Naruto, if I had to describe it. Hey, maybe Syrus could use this idea in his fanfiction! Erin's energy was crystal clear and blue, while Kagemaru's was a deep, mossy green.

Suddenly, a white dome of energy erupted around Kagemaru. It was hot and bright, a manifestion of pure duel energy. His life support machine blasted apart, pieces of it strewn carelessly in the sand and sea. The strobe-like flashing of light made my eyes hurt.

"HAAAAAAAHH!" Currents of electricity rippled across the beach, leaving scorch marks in the sand. I rushed in front of Erin, determined to keep her safe from any stray bolts. Well, I'd really be more of a meatshield, but yeah.

Through the hazy shield that surrounded him, I could see Kagemaru's form changing, growing like a flower in a time-lapse video. Muscles engorged, hair turned from white to black, wrinkles faded…it was a beautiful and horrible sight.

"Jamie…" Even through the peals of wind and the crackling of thunder, I heard Erin's contralto faintly reach out to me. I tore my eyes away from the transformation – there was nothing I could do to stop it anyhow.

I met Erin's deep blue eyes, eyes filled with regret and shame. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have rushed in like I did, but I just wanted to be useful…I didn't want to be left behind." She said weakly, taking my hand as I kneeled beside her.

She really shouldn't have, but now was not the time to vocalize that. "It's all right, I know you did your best. Just stay with me. Everything's going to be okay now, Erin!" I tried to reassure her, but I was never very good at being reassuring or inspirational.

"His cards…I've never seen cards like that before. It made my deck look like a complete joke." She looked away. Her tanned skin blemished and bruised from the battle, and her surf suit was frayed in places.

"What kind of cards were they?" I had to know the source of Kagemaru's power – he seemed utterly unlike how he was in canon.

"You've gotta get out of here, Jamie! Just forget about me, he's gonna kill everyone!" Her fear seemed to overtake her, but before I could press further about Kagemaru's cards, the wind and thunder suddenly stopped, replaced by a deafening silence.

The transformation was complete.

"Yes, I can feel it. All that I have ever imagined is now within my grasp. I have regained that which no one else ever could…youth, in all its glory."

Kagemaru stood on his own two feet, free of any need for a life support machine. Indeed, far from merely being ambulatory, he was extremely muscular and tall, probably around seven feet tall if I had to guess. He only wore the loincloth that he had inside his tank. Combined with the thick, long black hair he now sported, it made him look rather like Tarzan.

The biggest difference was the face. It was narrow and smooth, a manly square jawline jutting out. His dark brown eyes were marked with wisdom and cunning, contrasting greatly with his otherwise youthful appearance. The glare of the sun shone brightly on his arms, a duel disk still affixed to his right wrist.

He smiled, seeming truly pleased for the first time.

"I'm surprised she had so much power. These cards really can absorb duel energy…like a vine soaks up water."

I looked at Erin again, but she was unconscious, her eyes closed. Gently, I set her down, rage boiling within me. I fixed Kagemaru with a burning glare. "Looks like you found a different way to get your precious immortality."

"Hmm?" Kagemaru looked a bit surprised. Did he really not see me standing here for the past five minutes? Was he that enamored with his new body? "Ah, just the man I wanted to see. No, Lancaster, I am not immortal yet. My new cards have granted me the same body I had in my youth, but in order to become immortal I must obtain the Sacred Beasts. My operatives are currently spread out across this island taking your keys. It's only a matter of time now."

"Growing impatient, are we? Your shit-tier goons are finished and you know it." I counter. "You'll never be immortal."

He seemed unbothered. "I will not die."

"You're right to be afraid of death. It's a very painful experience. Well, at least mine was. Didn't get the chance to go gentle into that good night, if you catch my drift." I said viciously. "And neither will you, if you continue on this path."

"Painful, eh? That would explain your bad attitude, at least." Kagemaru replied confidently. "Tell me, why do you restrain yourself so? The sort of power you and I have could be used to rule the entire universe! And yet here you are, in an Obelisk Blue student uniform, wasting your days in a classroom. Do you enjoy being a big fish in such a little pond? But then, I suppose it is only natural a man on his second life would spend time frivolously." His words were as punishing as physical blows.

"It's not a waste." I thought of Jaden's carefree expression, and Zane's joy upon finding an equal opponent. I thought of Erin's eyes, and Alexis' smile. "But I don't expect you to understand that."

"You're right – the concept of wasted time will become irrelevant after I achieve my goal." He held his now muscular arms at his sides proudly. "As for you, maybe you'll just reincarnate again if the gods find you such a compelling plaything."

"Let's see this new power you speak of then. I won't hold back either." I said with the look of stoic resolve just before the battle charge. Sonata appeared by my side, staring down Kagemaru intently. The scene was set, dramatic and climatic.

"Ah, there you are!" A cheerful voice echoed from atop a hill. Jaden Yuki stood with one foot perched atop a rock, his brown hair fluttering in the wind. "Winged Kuriboh told me something was up, plus I got that message from Erin!"

Kagemaru's dark eyes glimmered. "You…you're the Supreme King of the Gentle Darkness, Jaden Yuki!"

"Ehh, I dunno about all of that. I'm just Jaden!" The boy with the red coat grinned, not really absorbing the meaning of the title. "Oh, hey Jamie! Say, have either of you seen a guy named Kagemaru around here? He's supposed to be the strongest enemy here."

I waved back awkwardly. This throws a wrench into things. Should I go all out with Jaden here? I don't think I have much of a choice if I want to beat Kagemaru's new deck, whatever it is. If we make it out of this alive, I can focus on what to do next. Maybe Jaden can keep a secret. After all, he is known for his discretion…yeah, I'm fucked either way, so I might as well go with the option that lets me live another day.

"Actually, Kagemaru's right here." I pointed at the foe in right of me.

"Huh?" Jaden ambled down the hill in chilled-out manner. "You said Kagemaru was some geezer hooked up to a machine. This guy makes Brock Lesnar look like Syrus in comparison. What's the deal?"

Kagemaru grumbled. "Geezer…how dare you?"

"He absorbed almost all of Erin's duel energy. Plus, there's something strange about his deck that seems to aid in restoring his youth." I quickly explained going off of what I knew. Just what did Kagemaru do to himself?

He smirked, his long black hair flowing as he seemingly predicted my thoughts. "I simply tapped into the power that you possess, only much more deeply. I made a contract with a duel spirit."

"Woah, that's pretty wild, bro. And what did this spirit want?" Jaden asked casually.

"In exchange for giving me back my youth, all this spirit wants is destruction, and lots of it. And that's something I can supply in excess if needs be!" Kagemaru's muscles rippled, a white aura forming around his body. The power forced Jaden and I back, our heels digging into the sand.

"And in the process of sinking this island into the sea, I'll rid the world of you two demons as well!" The immortal roared. Typhoons of sand whipped up around him, the beach rending itself in response to his new strength.

Jaden shielded his eyes by throwing up his arms, as did I. Sand flew everywhere, dusting our clothes. Then, Kagemaru settled himself, and carried an expression of deadly calm.

"Come. Attack me both together." He said placidly.

"Well, he's offering to let us team up. Could be fun, don't ya think?" Jaden grinned, nudging my arm. "By the way, did you always have a duel spirit?"

"Hiya!" Sonata waved cheerily. Winged Kuriboh returned the wave, looking at me somewhat suspiciously.

I sighed. Cat's out of the bag now. "I'll explain afterwards, but you have to promise to keep it a secret. I'm going to be using some different cards too."

"Hey, cool! I can't wait to see em." Jaden replied.

"Uh, yeah. So anyways, watch out for this guy, he defeated Erin. Don't worry, we can win this right here, right now if we're both fighting at our maximum capacities." I said seriously, activating my duel disk.

"Alright, let's take this guy down!" Jaden turned on his duel disk as well. We each turned to face our common foe, the lord and master of the Shadow Riders. Kagemaru's duel disk was already on, and he waited patiently as if he had all the time in the world.

"Duel!" The three of us shouted, beginning the game of darkness.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **Sorry for the wait. Just been trying to make sure the writing quality has been good. Been a bit busy at work, blah blah blah. Thank you for your patience.**

 **Anyways, we've got fights building up all over the place! Bastion's rationality is getting pitted against the power of friendship, only this time it's the villains who are using it! How will Bastion get out of this one – by normal Yu-Gi-Oh logic he should lose every time! Lol this duel's gonna be a lot of fun to write.**

 **Meanwhile, Alexis got a rude awakening by an equally rude pharaoh. Something tells me that Abidos' "legendary" reputation is going to crumble pretty fast. If you guys like asskickings, tune in for that one.**

 **On a more serious tack, Zane is fighting against a revived Titan to retrieve Atticus' memories. Thought it would be good to have Zane contribute to his best friend's recovery – it just seemed right when I was planning the story out.**

 **And of course, the headliner fight is Jamie and Jaden vs Kagemaru. I really wanted to make Kagemaru a powerful threat in this story. What do you guys think his new cards are? I tried to hint it without being too obvious. He certainly seems confident in his skills after offscreening Erin. By the way, Erin's hubris and impetuousness will come up again as a part of her character development, but needless to say she's not too happy about getting destroyed by Kagemaru.**

 **Jaden now at least knows that Jamie has a duel spirit and that Jamie has one of a kind cards. What do you guys think will come of this development?**

 **Tune in next chapter for some badass, fun duels. It'll come soon, I swear haha! By the way, I posted two more character mixes in my profile for Adam and Erin if you care. Catch you on the flippity-flip!**


	24. 99

Chapter 24: 99%

(Bastion Misawa POV)

 _"No way, is the power of friendship really capable of overcoming my calculations?"_ Bastion despaired.

"Great work, team!" The Dark Scorpions good-naturedly high-fived each other. The spirit of camaraderie they exuded was undeniable.

He stared down the group of villains, still in shock they managed to draw an optimal starting hand like they did. _"These people are villains – they're trying to kill me and take my key. With my key, their master is going to unleash three Sacred Beasts with immense destructive power just to achieve the selfish wish of immortality. There's just no way they could be capable of harnessing the power of friendship!"_

Bastion has seen Jaden, and to a lesser extent Syrus and Alexis, claim that the source of their strength was their bonds. But this is just a card game – how can merely having friends improve one's skill at a card game? Furthermore, Bastion noted that neither Zane or Jamie explicitly relied on friendship to win the day – Zane held to principles of honor and self-reliance, while Jamie cynically followed the meta. If anything, those ideas ran counter to the concept of idealistic faith in one's friends! Bastion just couldn't wrap his head around it.

 _"I need to try something."_ Bastion thought his next words slowly and carefully _. "I believe in my friends. With the trust and support of my friends, I will draw the card I need."_

"I draw." Bastion's next card was decent – enough to work with, but nothing miraculous. "Is there a factor I'm missing?" He wondered.

"Something the matter there, lad?" Zaloog called from across the pitch.

"Erm, no!" The Ra Yellow stammered. "I'll have to go with this. I activate the spell card **Soul Exchange**. If I tribute summon this turn, I can use one of your monsters as a sacrifice! Now, I'll sacrifice Gorg the Strong along with my Gozuki!"

"Uh, mister Zaloog, I don't feel so good…" Gorg muttered with worry as his monster form disintegrated.

"It's alright Gorg, you'll be fine. Once I find I way to get you out of the graveyard, you'll be right as rain." Zaloog reassured, somewhat exasperated with his teammates' melodrama.

"With those two sacrifices, I'll summon **Red Ogre (2800/2100)**!" As the name would suggest, Bastion summed a huge red ogre to his side of the field. It held a spiked club in its hand, its face adorned with two sharp black horns and a maw of sharp teeth.

"When this monster is summoned, I can send any number of cards from hand to grave, then send that same amount of cards back to your hand. I send one, so I'll bounce Don Zaloog back to the hand." The roar of the Red Ogre caused Zaloog to scamper off the duel field for the time being.

 _"There…now that one is in the graveyard and another is in the hand, he has less field presence and no way of getting over my monster. Sadly, Soul Exchange's effect prevents me from attacking…"_ Bastion thought, aware of Jasmine watching from behind him. "I end my turn."

"Shoot, that ogre is strong. But I know if we believe in each other, we can accomplish anything!" Zaloog went into another cheesy friendship speech as the remaning Dark Scorpions struck Sentai poses once again.

" _He'll have to draw something really good to get out of the position he's in…now we'll see how much weight this "power of friendship" business carries."_ Bastion mused.

"I draw!" Zaloog declared. "And I activate **Card of Sanctity**!"

"Oh, come on!" Bastion held his hands on his head.

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"Umm, are you sure that's the end of your turn?" Alexis asked in genuine confusion. Abidos' guards glared at her for daring to question their leader. Abidos looked just as bewildered as she was for his part.

"What are you talking about? Of course, that is the end of my turn. Actually wait, let me set a card first. Anyways, my Pharaoh's Servant is more than enough for you to handle at the moment."

"What's his game?" Alexis wondered. The weak vanilla monster was no threat on its own, but…did he have a trap of some kind? If so, why waste it on protecting a paltry monster like this? The fact that she was hungover only added to the situation's surreal vibe.

"Um, ok…" She drew her first card. _"I need to tend this quickly, so I can go back to sleep."_

"I summon **Cyber Petit Angel (300/200)**!" The mechanical fairy fluttered to the field. "When this card is summoned, I can add a Cyber Angel or a Machine Angel Ritual from deck to hand." She added the ritual spell, now having the necessary pieces for a ritual summon.

"I chain my trap card, **The First Sarcophagus**!" Abidos interrupted.

"The first…does that mean there's more than one sarcophagus?" Alexis deduced.

"Yes. When all three sarcophagi are together, the cursed door will open, engulfing you with despair and darkness!" He said spookily, the palace guards stamping their staffs and spears on the ground for good measure.

"Yeah sure whatever. Anyways, I'll cast the **Machine Angel Ritual** , using Cyber Petit Angel and the Etoile Cyber in my hand as sacrifices! Come forth, **Cyber Angel Benten (1800/1500)**!" The fan-wielding warrior leapt unto the field from a pillar of light, cold mechanical eyes trained on the enemy.

"Woah woah woah! What's all this? These cards have to be fake!" Abidos protested, causing Alexis to pause in the middle of her play.

"What are you on about? I know they're relatively new, but these Cyber Angels have been out for three months!" Alexis protested rightfully.

"Well, that too, but I was really questioning is the color of your card – why is it blue?" Abidos' countenance was distinctly unlike a master's.

"Wha…you mean a ritual monster? Are you for real right now?"

"Ah, so that's what a ritual monster looks like these days. You know, back in my day we had to at least sacrifice a goat or something to bring a ritual monster out. Your generation has it too easy!" Abidos chose to bring up.

Alexis felt a headache beginning to occur near her right temple – it was always in the same spot whenever she was dealing with stupidity, although the hangover might have had something to do with this one.

"Yeah well, this is a card game, so it makes sense that we would only use actual cards for a sacrifice. Umm…" She momentarily lost her train of thought. "Benten attacks the Pharaoh's Servant."

"Oh no!" Abidos wailed as though this had never happened to him before. Alexis found this melodrama curious, as the attack wouldn't even be close to enough damage to finish him. Benten's effect wouldn't even do anything since the Pharaoh's Servant's defense points were zero. Cyber Angel Benten slashed through the mummy like it was made of wet toilet paper **. (Alexis 4000/Abidos 3100)**

"I'm being pushed – how is this possible!?" The almighty pharaoh seemed shocked that he took any damage. Alexis noticed that he did not seem to be suffering any physical pain, signaling that this wasn't a shadow game – yet.

 _"Heh, for a so-called god, I'm managing to hold my own pretty well."_ Alexis took a brief moment to congratulate herself, careful not to rest on her laurels. "I end my turn."

"My trap card's effect activates, allowing me to play **The Second Sarcophagus** from my deck. Only one more, and your fate is sealed!" Abidos said, another layer added to the ornate sarcophagus behind him.

"Uh-huh." Alexis yawned.

"But enough about that! I activate **Pot of Greed** , allowing me to draw two cards!" Abidos said, clearly coming from a time before any banlists were created.

"First, I'll set a card face-down. Then, I'll play **Tribute to the Doomed** , discarding one card to destroy your monster!" Abidos declared. A purple poison mist shot out from his palm at Alexis' monster, a plague of certain death.

"From the graveyard, my Machine Angel Ritual's secondary effect activates! By banishing it from the grave, I can protect my Cyber Angel form being destroyed." Alexis countered. A blue energy barrier materialized around Cyber Angel Benten, effortlessly dissipating the poison cloud and keeping Benten unharmed.

"No way! Spells have effects in the graveyard now! This is stupid, we didn't have overpowered crap like this back in my day." Abidos complained.

This guy was starting to remind Alexis of a genwunner. She didn't even dignify the remark with a response, just rolling her eyes.

"Erm…anyways, I shall set a monster and end my turn." Abidos hastily finished, finding Alexis' complete lack of fear disturbing.

"My turn. I'll start by summoning **Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands (1400/1000)**. When this card is summoned, I can add a ritual spell or a ritual monster from deck to hand. I choose to add another Machine Angel Ritual." Alexis had been polishing her deck constantly since her duel with Atticus, not liking how close she came to defeat that day. Now, she was sure that her Cyber Angel deck had as much consistency as it possibly could have while still retaining her own personal style. She was somewhat in the middle when it came to deck building style – she wasn't over-analytical like Jamie or Bastion, but also wasn't reckless like Jaden or Erin.

"Now, I'll attack your face-down monster with Cyber Angel Benten! Go, fan slash!" The angelic automaton let loose sharp strike with her hand fans, ripping apart Abidos' face-down **Pharaonic Protector (900/0)**. Again, Cyber Angel Benten couldn't use its burn effect due to the destroyed monster not having any defense points. Not fearing his backrow, Alexis commanded Manju to launch a direct attack. The attack went through unimpeded. With a seemingly endless barrage of fists, her golem brought Abidos to his knees. **(Alexis 4000/Abidos 1700)**

"My lord!" The palace guards cried out in worry.

"Grr…this shouldn't be happening! I am the greatest pharaoh of all time!" Abidos said to himself, rising to his feet.

"Enough of this pointless boasting! Is this some kind of joke? The history books say that you were great enough to rival the pharaoh Atem, but judging from this performance, I'm starting to wonder just how desperate Kagemaru was for Shadow Riders!" Alexis snapped, growing tired of his ego.

Abidos was completely shocked by her words – no one had ever dared to speak to him in such a manner before. "Wait…no one has ever gone against my wishes, or challenged me in the court…could that have applied to the dueling field as well?" He muttered to himself. In fact, the resurrected pharaoh seemed to be going into a flashback. However, as Alexis was not privy to the contents of Abidos' mind (thank Ra for that), she could not determine what he was remembering. However, his stammered words gave her some idea of what was happening.

"This has to be a joke…are you telling me that all of his opponents were losing on purpose?" She chuckled to herself. It was all so absurd – just her luck that this ridiculous fool was her opponent. She seriously doubted that Abidos knew anything about her brother and his condition. But still, despite herself, she felt a grain of sympathy for her foe…it must be difficult to look back on one's life and realize that it was a lie. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more Alexis pitied this man.

"Yes, with perspective, I can see it now…for my entire life, my servants have been letting me win, just to appease my ego. My entire reputation was built on a deception!" Abidos was having an existential crisis – Alexis really wasn't sure how to handle this.

 _"He jumped to this conclusion rather quickly…I bet he's always known, on some level."_ She thought. "Do you need a moment?" She asked with consideration.

Abidos sniffed. "Yes, please."

"Ok, just let me know when you're ready." Alexis said gently, like a babysitter would to a pouty child.

"Thanks."

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(Zane Truesdale POV)

Zane stared down Titan, the enemy's expression inscrutable behind his mask. The two foes moved outside of the hospital partially due to the continual shrieking of the alarms, but also due ot the limited space indoors.

"Well now…I understand you were the one who destroyed Tania. Your reputation seems to be at least partly justified, _Kaiser_." Titan placed sarcastic emphasis on the title. "But I have yet to be impressed."

"I didn't destroy Tania. Unlike you, she was not a murderous thug, and simply left to live her own life after our fight. And I allowed that. She was a respectable opponent.' Zane clarified, feeling the need to defend the amazon's honor.

"Bah! So she is a traitor then! It is no matter – after my master achieves his goal, we will hunt her down and punish her for her cowardice." Titan raved, veins pulsating in his temples.

Zane found himself in a quandary; how could he respect an opponent so vile and cruel? The Kaiser was used to facing arrogant people – he was an Obelisk Blue, after all. But a person like this…Zane found his ideals put to the test in a big way.

"Take your turn." Zane tried to play on his opponent's arrogance, hoping that Titan would go first and not ask questions. Luckily, the ploy succeeded, and Titan drew his first card.

"I set a monster and two face-down cards." However, the villain's opening move was understated, his deck's style still in the shadows.

Zane furrowed his brow. This man knew about him, he made that much clear with his boasting earlier. "And if he knows anything about me, then he should know about my deck, so why would he summon a monster?"

The Kaiser had to wonder if summoning the Cyber Dragon would play into his opponent's hand. But he had no other choice – his style of dueling revolved around swift, overwhelming power, not misdirection and guile.

"I call forth **Cyber Dragon (2100/1600)**!" He said, not even bothering to explain Cyber Dragon's effect. The chrome serpent slithered by Zane's side. A tense moment passed in which Titan seemed to consider a counter. "Any response?" Zane grunted.

"Hmm, no." Titan said after a time.

"Ok. I'll continue by summoning **Cyber Larva (400/600)**." A weak silver snake appeared, a baby Cyber Dragon. "It may look weak, but-"Zane was cut off.

"It has special abilities, yes." Titan finished mockingly. "Don't patronize me, boy. I'm sure you're used to dueling wet-behind-the-ears schoolboys, but that's not me."

Zane bristled, but continued his turn. "I attack with Cyber Dragon." The Kaiser's characteristic monster let out an equally characteristic blast of blue photons. The energy wave washed over Titan's monster, which was revealed to be **Doomdog Octhros (800/800),** a red and black demonic doggo.

"When Doomdog is destroyed, I can add a level 8 fiend type monster from deck to hand." Titan thumbed through his deck before settling on a target.

 _"Strange…Doomdog whatsits? I don't remember ever seeing that card before."_ Zane thought in confusion. He thought he was familiar with damn-near every card released, but clearly this was not the case. Titan smirked, as if knowing what Zane was thinking.

The Kaiser soon shook it off though. "I attack directly with Cyber Larva!" The larva let loose a weak yellow blast that struck Titan directly. The masked man took a step back to brace himself but needed little more than that. **(Zane 4000/Titan 3600)**

Titan's lack of a reaction reminded Zane of the first time he dueled Jaden, back at the beginning of the school year. It seemed like so long ago now. _"Only this time, the attacks are real, and this guy still shrugged it off like nothing."_ He grimaced but remained mostly calm.

"I set a card and end my turn." Zane finished.

Titan lazily snapped the next card off the top of his deck. "I'll begin my activating my continuous trap card, **Sinister Yorishiro**. Each turn, I can now normal summon a level five or higher fiend monster without tributing for it." The undertaker explained.

 _"What is going on here? I haven't heard of that card either."_ Zane's bewilderment was rising by the moment.

"And I think I'll start by summoning the monster I added to my hand last turn. A monster truly worthy of its title. Behold, **Archfiend Emperor, the First Lord of Horror (3000/2000)**!"

From behind Titan, a gigantic pillar of pure blackness erupted from the earth itself, reaching high into the air and splitting clouds. Seemingly from the depths of hell, an enormous purple skinned demon clawed out. It was so large that it towered over the Central Duel Academy main building, which was four stories in height discounting the duel arenas at the top. It made the Cyber End Dragon look like a yapping dog. Red eyes glared balefully at Zane, caring little if he lived or died.

Zane's eyes widened. "What on Earth…how is this possible? Where did you get these cards?" He muttered.

"Master Kagemaru is truly a man above all others…his ability to convene with duel spirits has granted me new and powerful cards! My campatriots decided to stick with their own decks for reasons I cannot fathom…but I will never tire of growing stronger!"

"It's like fighting in the dark!" Zane said, shocked.

"An apt comparison." Titan smirked. "Now, I shall use Archfiend Emperor's effect. By banishing an archfiend from my hand or graveyard, I can destroy a card on the field. And I think I will choose your irksome Cyber Larva!" The gigantic demon disintegrated Zane's monster with one swing of its blood-red sword, faster than the Kaiser could react.

"That's right, I know all about that blasted thing's effect! It prevents you from taking battle damage when it attacks, and it replaces itself when it's destroyed by battle! I am not so foolish as to be misled by its weak battle power. Next, I'll flip over my other trap card – **Escape From The Dark Dimension**! This allows me to special summon a banished dark monster, like the one I just banished for the Emperor's effect. Come forth, **Archfiend Cavalry (1900/0** )!"

A skeleton knight riding a ghoulish horse galloped onto the field, clad in red armor. "Attack the Cyber Dragon, Archfiend Emperor!" Titan thrust his hand forth to signal the beginning of his assault. The demon patriarch sliced apart Zane's dragon effortlessly, sending shards of chrome shrapnel every which way. **(Zane 3100/Titan 3600)**

"Archfiend Cavalry, charge!" Zane felt the pain of a spear impaling his midsection – it was so intense and real that his mind went blank for a few moments. A strangled gurgle escaped his lips as he tumbled to the ground, clutching his chest in agony. **(Zane 1200/Titan 3600)**

Zane's mind was a flurry now – not even Jamie Lancaster, his would-be rival, could overwhelm him this quickly in their practice duels. This was so far beyond what he could have imagined when he took on the responsibility of being a key keeper. In truth, the possibility of losing scarcely crossed his mind. He had strong principles, and by holding to those principles, he had stayed at the top for all of his time at Duel Academy. Honor, a respect for one's opponent, trust in one's deck, and a passion for the game – these were the components that made a true duelist in Zane's mind. Time and time again, they steered him true.

And yet, Titan's very existence flew in the face of those principles. He had risen from the depths of hell, given an undeserved second chance at life by an evil madman. His cards were strong, far stronger than any he had ever seen. And it was all secondhand – they were just given to him by Kagemaru! He didn't have to build that deck – he didn't care a bit about respecting his opponent or trusting his deck. And yet, Titan was winning handily and Zane was on the back foot.

"Why? Why did you do to deserve this power?" Zane was thinking aloud, and Titan heard him.

"You think power has something to do with morality? A child's correlation. I am powerful because I do as I please and impose my will on those who stand in my way. Before master Kagemaru resurrected me, I was a contractor who took any number of unsavory jobs. Let's put it this way – kidnapping that blonde bitch back in October was the tamest job I had in quite a while." Titan explained gratuitously.

"Watch your tongue! That's my friend you're talking about!" Zane rose to defend Alexis' honor, even as his body was still wracked with residual pain from the last wave of attacks.

Titan merely laughed. "The real world is gonna chew you up and spit you out, Truesdale. Before you go to your grave, I will impart this eternal lesson to you. Strength is the only thing that matters in this world – everything else is just a delusion for the weak."

Zane's cobalt eyes widened. Titan's words spoke to the very worst parts of him – the parts he had hidden away ever since he was a boy. To be ruthless, cold, and power-hungry came easy to him. The calm, collected visage he normally presented wasn't a façade per se, but he always felt like he was…holding back. He didn't want the wrods to make sense, but they did…god damn it, they resonated so much. But it would take more than that to unhinge him.

"That's not true – a real duelist wins with honor and respect!" Zane shot back. Surely the lessons he learned as a boy were right, they had to be.

"Then why am I winning?" Titan responded in kind.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Jamie Lancaster (My) POV)

The rules were established as follows; Kagemaru begun with 8000 life points to his name, while Jaden and I each got 4000. If one of our life point counters hit zero, the other duelist could continue and from that point on things would proceed as a normal one-on-one duel, with the caveat that the surviving duelist could use any cards that the teammate still had on the field when they lost. So if I lost somehow and I still had a face-down card left on the field, Jaden could use it and vice-versa.

The turn order would proceed as Jaden-Kagemaru-Me-Kagemaru-Jaden, meaning our enemy would get two turns for each of ours singularly. Theoretically, our teamwork would make up for this. Jaden and I did not share any zones – we both got five monster zones, spell/trap zones, etc. Our extra decks (or fusion deck in his case) were also our own. No one was allowed to attack on their first turn.

 _"The longer this duel goes on, the more duel energy he's going to absorb with that new power of his. And considering you and Jaden already have high levels of duel energy…who knows how destructive Kagemaru could become if he absorbed both of your energies?"_ Sonata speculated. I glanced at Erin, who was moved to a safe distance behind us, and grit my teeth.

"Show em what you got, Jaden." Winged Kuriboh said confidently, and to my surprise, his voice was an extremely deep, Morgan Freeman-esque tone, rather than the cutesy high pitch I had been expecting. I nearly laughed, but in light of the situation at hand, I didn't.

"Alright, here we go! Your ambitions will be stopped here, Kagemaru! I activate Polymerization, fusing together the heroes Avian and Burstinatrix in my hand to summon my **Elemental Hero Flame Wingman (2100/1200)** in attack mode!" Jaden's most ubiquitous fusion monster arrived in a fiery pillar, a green humanoid with a red dragon's maw for an arm.

"Next, I'll set a card and end my turn." Jaden finished succinctly. It appeared that he had taken my words to heart and wasn't playing around this time.

"Heroes…an interesting deck. Today will prove who is the true master of fusion summoning. Behold." Kagemaru drew for his first turn. "I shall begin by summoning **Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio (1200/800)**."

Oh, shit.

From the sands rose a strange sight – the monster appeared to a hybrid of plant and animal, a scorpion composed of branches, thorns, and leaves.

"There's no way! This can't be happening! How did you get this kind of power?!" I panicked. Jaden looked alarmed, having obviously never seen this monster before.

"It is as I said – my desires aligned with those of a duel spirit." Kagemaru repeated. Behind him, in a haze of purple aura flecked with red, I started to make out the form of what his duel spirit might be, but it was still too unclear to make a definitive judgment. The range of options were certainly limited now, though. "And in these cards I can feel the power of a truly supreme being."

Kagemaru clenched his fists. "And within these monsters is a yearning, a searching to be whole. You see, even the enormous power I now possess is still incomplete. And once I become immortal, I will find the remaining pieces of the puzzle and attain true strength."

"Uhh…what is he talking about? That thing's only got 1200 attack, my wingman can torch that little weed." Jaden said in confusion.

"Just watch…" I grumbled, knowing what was coming next.

"When my scorpion is summoned, I can send one monster from hand to grave in order to special summon one Predaplant monster from my deck. And the card I choose to summon is **Predaplant Darling Cobra (1000/1500)**." A serpent made of vine slithered out of the sea, its tail a budding violet flower. "And when this monster is summoned, I can add Polymerization from deck to hand!" The muscled foe thumbed through his deck and retrieved the card, now having all the necessary materials for a fusion summon.

"Are you kidding me? That's busted!" Jaden complained. This was actually a very basic combo for the archetype, but from Jaden's perspective these cards seemed way too good.

"Now, bear witness to a real fusion summon! I fuse together Predaplants Ophrys Scorpio and Darling Cobra to form the ultimate fusion dragon! The seed born and cultivated in darkness has finally risen to see the first rays of dawn – a new day with a sun that shall never set! Arise, **Starving Venom Fusion Dragon (2800/2000)**!"

The area was flooded with dark energy, sheets of purple upon black that blotted out the sky and rendered the ocean a sickly red color. The dragon's power was such that it changed the very landscape itself in the immediate area. The oak and palm trees to the west were covered in a rain of poison, burning away their leaves and rotting the wood to its core.

Jaden's eyes widened, and I heard a sharp intake of breath. For a brief moment, I questioned why this was, until it hit me. The dragon exerted a sudden chill and pressure that stole the very air from my lungs.

"This duel energy is insane! I can barely hold my ground!" Sonata hold onto me, the wind threatening to blow her away.

"Haven't felt power like this since the old days…" Winged Kuriboh muttered.

A dragon with a serpentine green body slithered out of a poison mist cloud, purple and red wings blending into the background surreally. The sight was familiar to me in a way, as I had seen and used this card back in my old life. But to see it bared against me in such a visceral, real way…the fear was bone deep.

But Jaden was different. As I glanced over at him, his grin was wild and his eyes expectant. He met my eyes, giving me a challenging look as if to say, "Doesn't this power excite you, Lancaster?"

Despite the inherently poisonous and corrosive nature of Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, Kagemaru looked more alive than ever. "When this monster is summoned, it can gain attack equal to one special summoned monster until the end of this turn." Kagemaru explained the dragon's first effect, the target being obvious.

A horde of vines emerged from the ground and binded the Flame Wingman. With effort, the hero was able to burn away the foliage with its dragon flames, but the vines were able to get the measure of its power nonetheless. The dragon's attack power was raised to 4900.

"Of course, it is meaningless since I cannot attack this turn…I set a card and pass." Kagemaru said in languid fashion.

I took a moment to clear my head. I can do this, I have a powerful deck as well! I took my first draw, not believing my luck.

"So, you're all about fusion summons now, huh? Well get a load of this one. I activate the spell card **Ostinato!"**

"You play what?" Jaden sputtered in shock. Kagemaru merely scoffed.

"When I control no monsters, this card lets me fusion summon a Melodious monster using materials from my deck. By sending Mozarta the Melodious Maestra and Sonata the Melodious Diva to the graveyard, I can summon **Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir (1000/2000)**! Feast your eyes upon the card that will bring about your end, a perfect instrument of death and destruction!"

A cute little girl wrapped in light lavender silks appeared in a soft ball of light, humming a little tune to herself. She took a glance at the monster we were fighting and seemed to recognize it.

"Ooh, I know just the song for something like this, Jamie-kun!"

"Something badass, right?" I dared to venture, even though I really should know better at this point.

Grinning, she started to blare Britney Spears "Toxic".

"Oh, give me a fucking break!" I facepalmed. Jaden was laughing his ass off in the background, while Kagemaru merely stared down my monster with contempt.

"Uh, Jim, are you really sure that this is gonna be good enough to beat down that badass dragon?" Jaden asked facetiously between peals of laughter. Growling, I walked over to him and showed him the card.

"Just read it, it's a good card, I swear!" I stammered.

"~WITH THE TASTE OF YOUR LIPS I'M ON A RIDE~"

"Woah, ok, that might actually put in some work." Jaden admitted, although a wry smirk was still on his face. "I'm just surprised that these are your favorite cards."

"I never said-"I started, but was suddenly aware of Sonata standing right behind me. "I mean, of course they're my favorites. What else could be?" I heard a hum of satisfaction from a few meters away. Jaden's started laughing again.

"If you're quite finished with your little lover's spat, continue your turn. I still have islands to destroy today." Kagemaru tapped his wrist impatiently, despite the fact that he wasn't wearing a watch. "I'm not getting any older over here."

"Don't you mean that you're not getting any younger over there?" Jaden corrected.

"I know what I said." Kagemaru rebuked.

"Erm, right. Now, what was I doing again?" I took a moment to consider my strategy. "Uh, I'll set two and end my turn."

"~YOU'RE TOXIC, I'M SLIPPIN' UNDER~"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Bastion Misawa POV)

Bastion suddenly felt a horrible, creeping chill. Instinctively, he looked towards the Southeast beach, where he saw purple and black clouds forming over the shoreline.

"What on earth was that? What is this sudden feeling of…dread?" Bastion looked at his hands, and noted they were shaking uncontrollably.

In contrast, none of the Dark Scorpions looked particularly ruffled. Well, except for Chick, but he was always nervous about something. "Heh, looks like the boss is starting to cut loose…" Zaloog idly commented.

"Cut loose? What do you mean?" Jasmine asked, holding her arms at her sides with a shiver.

"Must be dueling that Lancaster bloke he keeps yammering on about." Cliff theorized.

"Jamie?" Bastion questioned.

"Yeah, that was the guy's first name." Meanae confirmed.

 _"My word…I hope you know what you're doing, Jamie."_ Bastion thought, sparing a moment to hope for his old roommates' success. _"That doesn't look like much fun."_

"Let's hurry up and crush this guy so we can get paid!" Zaloog's rallying cry served to sufficiently motivate the Scorpions, and they continued their turn.

"I'll start by summoning myself, Don Zaloog, back to the field." The commander stepped forward once more, joining his three remaining comrades.

"Meanae, in order to destroy that Ogre, we're going to have to use…that technique." Zaloog warned, giving the brunette a meaningful look.

"Do whatever is necessary. I am yours to command." She said demurely.

He smirked. "Duly noted. I activate **Dark Scorpion – Tragedy of Love**! If Don Zaloog and Meanae the Thorn are on the field, I can send Meanae the Thorn to the graveyard to destroy all of your monsters!"

The beautiful pickpocket slowly began to disintegrate, taking a place on the sidelines next to the burly Gorg. Then, spiked vines rose up from the ground and entrapped Bastion's Red Ogre, taking it down in the process. Jasmine gasped, seeing that Bastion was wide open for attack.

"Heh, and just like that, another key is ours! Take him down, fellas!" Zaloog rushed forward with a dagger brandished, Chick and Cliff trailing closely behind him. This attack would be more than enough to deplete Bastion's remaining life points.

If it went through, that is. Bastion's resolve did not waver – he knew that now was the time to use his face-down. "Reverse card, open – **Call of the Haunted**! You haven't seen the last of my Red Ogre!"

Like the devil itself, Bastion's Ogre ripped open the ground it was recently buried in and rose again. Its eyes flashed with the promise of vengeance.

"Almost had him! Oh well, I set a card and end my turn." Zaloog finished, not seeming very perturbed despite the Ogre's power advantage.

Bastion took note of this. "He must feel confident that his face-down will be able to save him. If I draw the right card here, I can win." Now was the time for Bastion to put his theory to its greatest test.

 _"They aren't the only ones who can use the power of friendship to win a card game. If they can, I can, and in doing so, I can understand the phenomenon logically."_ Bastion thought. He wasn't sure if the power would work with romantic bonds like the one he and Jasmine had. It might have to involve a purely platonic friendship. " _If only one of my friends would show up right now!"_

At that moment, Adam Sugihara casually walked on by the duel with his headphones in. He was seemingly completely unaware of the duel going on around him, making towards the Ra Yellow dorm. He wore a purple hoodie with dark jeans, and he was noshing on what was clearly and obviously a rice ball.

"These donuts are great! Jelly filled are my favorite! Nothing beats a jelly-filled donut!" Adam mused to himself.

"Um, Adam?" Jasmine waved her hands in front of his face, managing to get his attention. Starting in shock, Adam quickly took his earbuds out to speak to her.

"Woah, didn't see you there, Jasmine! How are you?" The gambling duelist said jovially.

"Um, I'm alright, thanks. I've just got to ask you a favor. Also, those things you're eating are called Onigiri." She corrected.

"Huh?" Adam looked down at the food in his hand. "Oh, shoot! I was in a hurry, and I grabbed the wrong food from the cafeteria. I meant to grab a donut, but didn't look to make sure. Anyways, what can I do for ya?"

It took Jasmine a moment to process such idiocy, but she managed to somehow. "Right. Anyways, just take a look around."

Adam did so, and noticed Bastion and the Dark Scorpions for the first time. The duel spirits were dumbfounded, but Bastion had an easy smile on his face. _"Perfect, this should work."_

"What's going on here? You dueling some cosplayers, Misawa?" Adam raised an eyebrow.

"Everybody's already made that joke." Meanae sharply interjected.

"Well, excuse me princess, some of us here actually have jobs and don't have time to make the pithy one-liners first. So what's the deal here?" Adam shot back, eating the rest of his recently discovered rice ball.

"Don't worry about the specifics of it, Sugihara. These are shadow riders, that's all." Bastion succinctly put it.

"That so? Do you think you can win?" Adam asked casually. The Scorpions were beginning to look rather put out.

"Well, if this little experiment of mine works out, then yes. You're a big part of it. But first, I must ask you a question; we're friends, right?" Bastion cut right to the chase.

Adam shrugged. "Uh, yeah, I suppose."

 _"Good enough."_ Bastion thought grimly. "Then I shall need you to believe in me as hard as you possibly can so that I draw the right card for the situation at hand. I have reason to believe that the trust of a friend is an instrumental factor in playing this game well."

"Don't be stupid, what I think has nothing to do with what card you draw. You guys did shuffle your decks, right? It should be pretty much random chance what you draw." Adam replied. Bastion nodded, but the Scorpions were now starting to sweat.

"Wait a minute, you guys didn't shuffle your decks before starting? That's against the rules! These dirtbags probably stacked their cards, Misawa!" Adam yelled. He hated cheating of any kind – it always spoils the fun of a gamble, or a game in this case.

"Umm, well, you see…what happened is…" Zaloog started to formulate excuses, but none got very far.

"Why didn't you shuffle their cards, Bastion?" Adam questioned fiercely.

"I could have sworn I did!" Bastion said, but as he recalled the beginning of the duel, he found an inconsistency. "Oh goodness me, I was so excited to finally have some time in the spotlight that I forgot to make sure the decks were fairly cut!"

Jasmine and Adam facepalmed. "He's a smart guy, but sometimes he lacks common sense…" Jasmine said half-ruefully.

"Never assume the other guy is playing fair…I learned that lesson at a young age." Adam said sagely.

The Dark Scorpions, for their part, did not deny the allegations. "So what if we did stack our deck? Victory is all that matters! There's nothing you can do now! The only way you can back out of this duel is if you surrender, and if you do, that key is gonna be ours by the ancient laws!" Zaloog pointed out. The other scorpions smirked viciously, seemingly glad to drop the façade.

"Darn! Doesn't the key have something against cheating? Jamie mentioned that it has some level of self-preservation instinct!" Bastion scowled.

"He said that it defended him when his life was in danger. Maybe it doesn't have some kind of way to act against cheating, though." Adam hypothesized.

"Bah!" Bastion said in frustration. "Then there is no choice but to continue the fight! It may be an uphill battle, but I shall not give up."

 _"You taught me that…my friends…"_ Bastion thought of Jamie's daring, reckless crusade to battle Zane at the beginning of the year. He thought of Jaden defeating him despite his best-laid plans. He thought of Adam's devil-may-care reliance on luck that always seemed to pay off when it counted. In that moment, Bastion wished to fight like that, carefree and full of wonder.

He drew his next card, and he saw the solution to the equation in his mind.

"I activate **Mystical Space Typhoon** to destroy your face-down card!" It was a common card, a basic tool for any dueling deck. But in that moment, Bastion would have taken over the most expensive secret rare.

"Oh, shit!" Zaloog swore ungracefully as his Mirror Force was blown away. The Scorpions were unprotected now.

"Now, I summon **Zombie Master (1800/0)** in attack mode!" A ghastly, white-haired ghost girl rose from the earth. "And this card has a powerful ability. If I send a monster from my hand to the grave, then I can special summon a level four or lower zombie to the field."

"Welcome back, Gozuki!" The bull demon joined the Zombie Master and the Red Ogre. Bastion's field was beginning to look formidable, but he wasn't done yet. "And now, I'll use Gozuki's effect to send another zombie from my deck to the graveyard."

"Just like we planned!" Jasmine said in excitement.

"Finally, I'll use the effect of the **Mezuki (1700/800)** I sent to the graveyard earlier with Foolish Burial." The image of a horse demon briefly appeared by Bastion's side. "If I banish this card from the graveyard, I can special summon another Zombie from my graveyard."

Indulging in a spot of duelist pageantry, Bastion raised his free hand skyward. "Like the one I just put there!" Suddenly, he slammed his palm on the ground, baffling the onlookers. A glyph written in black kanji was painted on the dirt.

"I summon the **Nine-Tailed Fox (2200/2000)**!" Smoke billowed from the seal, but after a moment, an enormous fox with, you guessed it, nine tails emerged. Its fur was mostly white, with the ends of the tails a more reddish hue. It's said that if you strained your ears in that moment, you could hear a pan flute playing faintly in the background.

"Geez…we're definitely gonna get a copyright strike this time." Although the Kyuubi no Kitsune was an old figure in Japanese folklore, Adam decided to draw attention to the obvious reference.

"N-no way, how could things have gotten out of control so quickly?!' The scorpions cowered before the full might of Bastion's Yokai deck – in spite of their underhanded ways, they still failed in the end.

"My four monsters will attack now!" First, Gozuki smacked Cliff the Trap Remover with its massive hammer. **(Bastion 2000/Zaloog 3500)** Then, Zombie Master destroyed Chick the Yellow with bolts of unearthly purple lightning. **(Bastion 2000/Zaloog 2700)**

Then, the Nine-Tailed Fox charged a ball of black energy in its fanged mouth, firing a fierce orange laser at Don Zaloog. The blast knocked him over and sent him skidding along the green grass. **(Bastion 2000/Zaloog 1900)**

Finally, the Red Ogre loomed over the Dark Scorpions, a fearsome sight indeed. Unceremoniously, it swung its club one last time, leaving the bandits bamboozled. **(Bastion 2000/Zaloog 0)**

"Woohoo!" Jasmine cheered. "Nice job, Bas!"

Adam smirked. "Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good."

Bastion breathed a sigh of relief. "It seems our experimental deck worked out, Jasmine. And against a stacked deck, no less!" He smiled briefly at his girlfriend, pleasantly surprised at her deck building skill. Then, he looked upon his fallen foes and his gaze hardened.

"It's over. You lied, you cheated, and you lost." Bastion said with finality.

The Scorpions struggled to pick themselves up after the onslaught of attacks from Bastion's Yokai monsters. "Heh," Zaloog spat out a gob of blood. "Looks like you win this round, egghead."

"This wasn't a shadow game – we'll be just fine after a little rest. Then it's on to the next job. So save your moralizing." Cliff explained, his glasses cracked.

"I would advise you not to act against this island again. There are other students at this academy still who are stronger than me, and some of them do not share my disposition for mercy." Bastion thought of how Jamie had supposedly vanquished the duel spirit of Jinzo without remorse. Now that he knew that Duel Spirits were real, Bastion found the act somewhat chilling, although he did not know the depth of Jinzo's evil.

"Yeah, yeah." Meanae said dismissively, causing Bastion to bristle. "I don't think any of us want to come back this way any time soon. We can always think of something to tell Kagemaru if he find us. For now, we'll stay out of your way."

"Aw, but that reward was big…" Gorg murmured.

"There's other jobs, Gorg." Zaloog repeated. "For now, let's go lick our wounds someplace." Chick nodded quickly, eager to escape.

"I'm serious! You would do well to give up your dishonorable ways!" Bastion raised his voice, startling Adam and Jasmine somewhat.

"Honor doesn't fill the belly or pay the bills – it is of little use for us." Zaloog shot back. "But we agree to stay away from this island."

Bastion frowned – he felt certain that the Dark Scorpions would renege on their word as soon as it proved profitable. He would have to be ready to face these thieves again one day, this Bastion knew.

"Get out then." The Ra Yellow said with disgust. "and do not return."

"Hehe, see ya around, egghead! Watch your back!" The Scorpions cackled viciously, their physical forms slowly fading from Bastion's vision as they returned to the Duel Monsters Spirit Realm. Their mocking laughter hung in the air for a while. Bastion watched the spot where they disappeared with determination, feeling confident he could win again the next time their swords crossed.

"Disrespectful even in defeat…man, there's nothing I hate more than a sore loser." Adam commented, approaching Bastion. "Good job there, man." The two Ra boys briefly shared a fist bump before Bastion was engulfed in a hug.

"That was awesome, Bastion! You know, I've got a few more deck ideas you should try out sometime." Jasmine said happily.

"Indeed." Bastion smiled back. "I can't wait."

The couple looked fondly at each other for a long moment, Adam standing back to give them some space. But then, the moment passed, and Bastion gave further thought to the ominous chill he felt earlier.

"I fear that there are still many battles ahead of us…" Bastion mused as they each looked upon the heavy purple and black mist that covered the southern beach.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. I realize that I normally don't post around this time, but the chapter was done and I thought why wait?**

 **I posted a character mix for Kagemaru in my profile, as I felt his character was sufficiently fleshed out to merit one, so check that out if you'd like.**

 **I really like Bastion's deck in the manga, will definitely use it again in the future. Otherwise, tell me how you think these duels are shaping up, they should be finished next chapter. Excited to wrap this arc up - after this we move to stuff like the Graduation Duel, the Kaibacorp summer internship, and Jamie and Chazz's Excellent Adventure to the United States. The summer between first and second years is going to also be huge with regards to Jamie's relationship with his "family". Very tired rn so no long author's note. Peace!**


	25. Looking Without Seeing

Chapter 25: Looking Without Seeing

(Alexis Rhodes POV)

Alexis considered herself a remarkably patient person. She aspired to be a teacher after finishing up with school, a career path that required enough patience to deal with children for most of the day, which was a tremendous amount. She also had the wherewithal to handle an academic career at one of the finest boarding schools in the world while also dealing with potential threats to her and her friends' lives in the form of the Shadow Riders. On top of that, one of those Shadow Riders happened to be her long-lost brother whose body was possessed by a demon. To say that she was a stoic person capable of handling burdens would be more than accurate.

But if there was one thing that Alexis had no tolerance for in this world, it was bullshit. She was no-nonsense and focused, having little patience for the frivolity that other girls her age reveled in. Some would call her boring or prudish for this, but that was how Alexis got to the top of the class, and she didn't intend to change her ways any time soon.

Yes, she hated bullshit of any grade, variety, or quantity. And Abidos was currently full of it. The pharaoh, who for so long has been exalted in the history books as a shining example of dueling prowess, was in reality a narcissistic novice with only scraps of skill. In another circumstance, she might have some more sympathy for the fallen pharaoh, but she could not while her brother still laid comatose in that damn hospital bed with no cure to his condition apparent.

"I understand that this must be a difficult revelation to come to." Alexis mustered up what patience she could. "But surely now you can see that this fight is pointless. It would do us both well if you surrendered." She figured that this gambit would probably fail, but felt it was worth a try nonetheless.

"No!" Abidos stood once more, and a new fire burned in his eyes. "I may not be the god I thought I was, but I am still a duelist, and a duelist has his pride. Defeat me if you can!" His servants, despite surely knowing that they would be punished for their duplicity if their master won, still held formation out of duty.

"Fine! Take your turn and we'll finish this!" Alexis responded in kind.

"Yes, we shall. During your end phase, I can activate **The Third Sarcophagus** from my deck!" The final layer was added to the ornate burial mound.

"And now…" Abidos drew his next card. "With all three Sarcophagi on the field, I can summon the **Spirit of the Pharaoh (2500/2000)**!" From the golden coffin emerged a reanimated suit of ceremonial armor, moving of its own accord. Symbols of Horus, Osiris, and Anubis adorned its orange-gold accouterments, a teal scepter in its ethereal hand.

"And when this monster is summoned, I can resurrect up to four level two or lower zombies from the graveyard. Return to me, Pharaoh's Servant and Pharaonic Protector!" The two smaller mummies crawled up from the earth, ready to serve their lord's bidding.

Alexis briefly wondered the point of this effect, but wondered no longer as she saw Abidos' next card. "I activate the spell **Thousand Energy**!" The pharaoh exclaimed. Suddenly, a violent red aura engulfed his two weaker monsters, boosting their attack points up to 1900 each.

"My level two monsters are boosted tremendously, but at the cost of this new power, they are destroyed at the end of the turn. But at this point, there is no use holding anything back! First, Spirit of the Pharaoh attacks Cyber Angel Benten!" The indigo-eyed foe roared, having little to lose.

"Reverse card open, **Hallowed Life Barrier**!" A shimmering blue barrier coalesced around Alexis' body, bright as the summer sky. "By discarding a card from my hand, all damage I take this turn becomes zero."

Abidos' monsters cut down her monsters with their newly augmented force – her Benten and Manju were no match. However, her life points remained untouched even still. Furthermore, the card she sent to the graveyard was no great loss.

"That was a good move." Far removed from his earlier arrogance, now Abidos seemed to be enjoying the game as a beginner would, unencumbered by the shackles of his reputation. As he ended his turn, his two weaker vanilla monsters slowly disintegrated, overwhelmed by the Thousand Energy.

"Thank you." Alexis said, nonplussed by this change in attitude. "Why are you being so polite all of the sudden?"

"Well, I see this as my first true game of Duel Monsters – I have no cause to be arrogant, and will instead learn as much as I can from this encounter. But be warned – victory is still what I seek." The humbled Shadow Rider remarked.

Alexis wasn't sure that this wasn't some kind of trick, so she decided to continue dueling as normal. Part of her hoped that this change was genuine though.

"Very well, then. It's funny – I wish to be a teacher one day." She carefully revealed.

"Is that so? Well, then, I suppose I am your first student. Show me the dueling prowess of the modern day!" Abidos beckoned.

"As you wish!" Against her will, Alexis felt herself start to have a little fun. The headache was starting to go away. "I draw!"

Right as she was getting into her groove, it was time to end things. She had all the necessary pieces now. "Once more, I will show you the truest form of ritual summoning! I activate **Machine Angel Absolute Ritual**!"

Behind Alexis, a grey forge arose from nothingness, the hologram seeming so real. Cauldrons bubbled and assembly lines whirred as a new monster was being created.

"This allows me to ritual summon a Cyber Angel using Fairy or Warrior monsters from my graveyard. By shuffling them back into the deck, I can treat them as tributes! The only catch is that the levels have to equal exactly the level of the monster I want to summon, but that's not a problem! I shuffle Benten and Cyber Petit Angel back into the deck!" A holy flame shined from within the forge, sending blinding beams of light skyward. From a simmering cauldron leapt a new creature.

"I summon **Cyber Angel Dakini (2700/2400)**!" It was an android in the shape of a woman, having unusual blue skin and six arms, each adorned with a different weapon. Blades and lances danced as the mechanical angel stared down Abidos' monster.

Future and past stood juxtaposed for a moment as the sun broke over the roof of the Obelisk Blue girls dorm, glinting off of Dakini's plating while shining through the ghostly form of the Spirit of the Pharaoh.

"This is the light that will pave the road to the future! Dakini's effect activates! When it's summoned, you must send a monster of your choice to the graveyard." Alexis' words were heavy with purpose.

Abidos sighed in grudging acceptance. "Very well…" He only one monster on the field, the Spirit of the Pharaoh – the Spirit dematerialized into thin air, a fading memory of a false past.

Now that the field was clear, there was only one thing to do. "Cyber Angel Dakini, end this duel!" With a swift, clean swipe, Alexis' monster struck down Abidos III. **(Alexis 4000/Abidos 0)**

Abidos' indigo eyes met Alexis' hazel ones. To her surprise, she saw neither anger nor wounded pride in those eyes. "Your strength is genuine, girl. I may have been bested today, but I now see that an honest defeat is better than a false victory. For showing me this, I thank you. From this day forward, I will walk the path of a true duelist."

 _"First time an arrogant prick has ever thanked me after defeating him."_ Alexis noted wryly. "In every defeat is a lesson. Believe me, I lost a lot before I started to get half-decent at this game." She chuckled, thinking of all the times Atticus and Zane outplayed her when they were little kids. She hated losing to them at the time, but in retrospect it gave her something to strive for. She had become a better duelist and person because of it.

Lost in memories, Alexis was startled when Abidos suddenly took her hand. Shocked at the gentleness of his touch, Alexis made to speak, but Abidos beat her to the punch.

"The duel energy tying me to this world has expired…I will have no choice but to return to the afterlife soon. You should come with me!" He offered sincerely, causing Alexis to be taken aback.

"Now I know what you're thinking, but you have my word that you will not be serving wench or anything of the sort. You will live as a queen, no, a goddess. Songs would be sung of your beauty and power! I could give you anything you desire – pleasure beyond your dreams. Just come with me and teach me the ways of modern dueling!" He practically begged – Alexis could tell that every word was genuine.

For a moment, she imagined what such a (after)life would entail. Alexis could see it now – she was reclining on a river boat, wearing fresh white linens, and being fed grapes by attractive bronze manservants. It would be paradise, and all she'd have to do is…leave everything behind.

She thought of her brother Atticus and her duty towards him. And for a moment, she thought of a certain pair of emerald green eyes…no, there was no way she could ever accept this offer, not in a million years.

"I'm sorry, but my place, my life, is here on this Earth. I have family and friends who would grieve for me, and I could never leave them behind for the sake of personal gain." She answered gracefully.

"You would truly take this life, with all of its unnecessary suffering and misery, over infinite delights and joys?" Abidos said incredulously, as if he did not anticipate the possibility of her rejecting his offer.

"I already told you my answer. This is my home." Alexis said firmly, before her features softened. "But perhaps one day, after I die, our paths will cross again."

"I see…you know, not everyone would make the same choice. Many would drop their earthly ties in a heartbeat if it meant an eternity of pleasure. You are quite humble, Alexis Rhodes." Abidos did not push further, standing up and letting go of her hand. "I will tell them your name when I return…"

Alexis found this quite romantic, but was able to steel herself. She was never a girl so easily moved by fantasy and luxury. But still, she was curious. "Who will you tell?" She asked.

"The other pharaohs, of course." Abidos' answer was simple, and yet Alexis found it meaningful due to her knowledge of history. She vowed to thank Professor Drummond the next time she saw him.

"Wow…you mean…even _him_?" She muttered as golden rays of light shone down on Abidos and his servants. Slowly, they began to rise into the air, towards the sky and the great beyond.

"Yes, even him." Abidos said. Alexis saw a doorway in the sky open, in which dozens of the ancient pharaohs stood.

In the center of the crowd was a man with multicolored spiky hair, in colors of black, red, and blond. Around his neck was a pendant built from puzzle pieces, with the eye of Horus in the center.

For the most fleeting of moments, Alexis met the man's eyes. They were a darker purple than Abidos, and they were deep with wisdom and knowledge, centuries worth. And there was power there too, beyond her imagination – indeed, Alexis suddenly felt very small.

"Fare thee well." Abidos bid her one last time, and the door to the past closed. Particles of light fell from the sky, surreal like the sight of fireflies at midday.

"They were all true…the stories I heard as a child…" Alexis felt silly coming to this realization now. Ever since the battle with Jinzo, she knew that the game of Duel Monsters had a deep history. But it had never felt so real, so intense as it did in that moment.

Because the pharaoh she had just laid eyes upon looked exactly like Yugi Moto.

 _"I'm going back to sleep…. I'm still not sure that isn't a dream."_ She thought with a chuckle, quietly returning to her bedroom for a nap. _"There's no way the others will believe this."_

 _"But then, you always liked fantasy stories…didn't you, Atticus?"_

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In his hospital bed where he had lain for so long, Atticus Rhodes opened his eyes. He was awake at last.

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(Zane Truesdale POV)

The iron taste of blood filled his senses, the Shadow Game endlessly assaulting his senses at every turn.

"Well? I asked you a question, _Kaiser_." Titan spat the title sarcastically. "I want to know – if your ideals are true, then why am I winning? This is one shameful fucking performance for the academy's top student, it truly is."

"Urgh…I'm not finished yet!" Zane protested, rising to his feet. A few flecks of crimson dotted his white uniform – it was sure to stain at this rate, but this was the least of Zane's worries.

"My draw!" Zane calmed down as best he could and began to consider his strategy moving forward. "I activate **Cyber Repair Plant**! When a light machine is in the graveyard, I can add another light machine from deck to hand." Zane pulled another Cyber Dragon.

"I summon Cyber Dragon!" Zane summoned the second copy.

"Bit of a one-trick pony, aren't we?" Titan barbed.

"Just because you can see my move doesn't mean you can stop it! I cast the spell **Evolution Burst**! With a Cyber Dragon on the field, this lets me target one card and destroy it. You Archfiend Emperor is going back to hell!" The Cyber Dragon quickly slithered through the air until it arrived in front of the gigantic fiend's face. Without preamble, Zane's dragon unleashed a stream of blue photons that engulfed the fiend and destroyed it.

Titan looked a bit shaken for the first time all game. Zane continued, "But now, my Cyber Dragon cannot attack this turn. I set a monster and one face-down to end."

"Hmph." Titan drew. "So your light has not completely faded yet…it is no matter. I draw." The masked man did not look perturbed, despite the fact that his presumably ace monster was destroyed in one shot. "First, I shall play **Card of Sanctity** to replenish my hand."

"I activate the **Ritual of the Matador**! By sending the Archfiend Giant from my hand as a sacrifice, I can ritual summon **Archfiend Matador (0/0)**!" From a pillar of crimson liquid emerged a demon in a teal carapace. It was humanoid, but with unusually long arms in which it held a bloodred, fleshy cape of sorts.

Zane didn't recognize this card either, but he was growing more adaptable as time went on. _"Zero attack points…doubtless it has a powerful effect."_ He thought.

"Now, my Archfiend Cavalry will attack your face-down monster! Go, blood spear!" The red demon horseman galloped towards Zane's field, taking a swipe at the Kaiser's face-down.

It was revealed to be **Cyber Phoenix (1200/1600)** for a brief moment before the demon's spear ripped it apart. This was find for Zane, though. "When Cyber Phoenix is destroyed, I can draw a card." He muttered, still unsure of the Archfiend Matador's abilities.

"Hmm. I see…" Titan murmured back in kind. "Well, I think that is time to play this game by my rules." Zane felt an ominous chill.

"Enjoy a glimpse of what is to come, for now we truly begin the duel of darkness! I play the field spell, **Dark Arena**!"

Zane could do nothing as the sun was blotted out and eclipsed by a darkness more complete than the night's – it was a black upon black. A dome of darkness surrounded both duelists, and Zane now felt completely and utterly alone. Titan, on the other hand, seemed relieved at the change in surroundings, as though the light was painful for him.

"I must confess, this is much more comfortable for me…you see, I have grown sensitive to the light. Of course, anyone would after eight long months of suffocating darkness. Eight long months of being devoured over and over again by demons…it's enough to make any man a little uncomfortable!" Titan began to cackle, before bringing himself under control again.

"But the darkness looks upon us men equally. While this field spell is active, we each select the targets of our opponent's attacks. And all monsters must attack if they are able."

Zane was able to grasp this well enough. If he played it smart, this effect could actually benefit him as well. But he was sure that Titan knew the card well, and was good at battling in this dark place.

The Kaiser strained his eyes, but they couldn't seem to adjust to the darkness. "I-I draw…" He stumbled momentarily before catching himself. Titan let out a scoff, signaling that he saw the slip-up.

 _"He must want me to attack the Matador."_ Zane surmised. _Matador_ \- a bullfighter, although the word killer would be a more literal translation. He could tell from its appearance what the monster's effect would be.

 _"My monsters will attack, only to be swept aside or worse."_ He thought, gazing upon the fiend's cape, which was seemingly made up of pulsing red tissue. _"But if I enter the battle phase, I will have no choice but to attack, and he will be able to direct my strikes where he wishes."_

In a way, it was a perfect counter to his deck. Trying to defeat Zane Truesdale in a battle of brute force was as futile as debating the wind – the Cyber Style was designed to be swift, overwhelming, and forceful. But Titan's cards were focused on controlling the flow of battle, and parrying his attacks directly back at him. It was the only true way to battle against the Kaiser, but most students couldn't figure this out – either from arrogance or stupidity, most of the time.

"Ironic – you exalt strength, and your cards rely on reflecting my own power back at me." Zane was familiar with a strategy like this, to an extent. Jamie Lancaster used a style somewhat similar, employing many powerful traps as well as stall cards like Marshmallon.

"So you have deduced. But just because you can see my move doesn't mean you can stop it." Titan said drolly, throwing Zane's own words back at him. "And power can take multiple forms – there are many roads to victory, and the ability to achieve victory is power, is it not? It's an intoxicating thing…hard to resist, in many ways."

"Hmph. Your mind games won't work on me!" Zane ticked. Talking to this man was a mistake. Zane couldn't let any more poisonous words into his head! "I draw."

 _"C'mon, Truesdale, think!"_ He pressured himself. But the darkness and the pain clouded his mind. And furthermore, Zane was not used to being cornered like this. The card he drew was welcome though – it reminded him of a friend.

"I set a card and end my turn." Zane said simply. By skipping the battle phase, he was able to avoid attacking the Matador. He knew that attacking that monster could spell defeat.

Titan grumbled, seemingly expecting that Zane would recklessly attack. "You adapt more quickly than I would have expected. But still, you must attack if you want to win." Titan said coldly.

"Just take your turn." Zane bit out. Talking took precious energy – energy which was seemingly always being sapped away in this hellscape. There was a dark humor in it all – that the game of Duel Monsters was being perverted in such a way.

Titan did not draw a good card. "I will also set a card and end my turn."

Zane knew that he had to spring his trap now. "During your end phase, I play the trap card **Ring of Destruction**!"

The collar of explosives circled through the sheets of darkness, landing on the Archfiend Matador's neck precisely.

"You might want to take a look at your Matador! It appears someone has fixed him with a new collar!" Zane grinned, reiterating Jamie's trash talk to him during their very first match. With a beep, the ring exploded, albeit harmlessly due to the fact that Titan's monster had zero attack points. Still, getting it off the field was a huge swing in momentum.

Zane felt lucky that move went off – a sudden reversal might be able to get the win, like an arm wrestling match. "My draw! I summon **Cyber Dragon Drei (1800/800)** in attack mode!" A smaller cyber dragon, more pointed in shape with orange eyes instead of blue, took the field, its mechanical veins dully lighting up the dark.

"And now, I do believe I'm ready to enter the battle phase. Too bad your Dark Arena's effect doesn't matter when you only have one monster to attack! Go, Cyber Dragon, attack the Archfiend Cavalry!"

"Shit!" Titan cursed ungracefully as a blue laser sliced through his horseman. ( **Zane 1200/Titan 3400)**

"Cyber Dragon Drei, launch a direct attack!" The smaller dragon fired a series of hot orange bolts in staccato rhythm at Titan, singing his clothes and sending him flying back. **(Zane 1200/Titan 1600)**

Zane panted with effort, glad that he had finally hit Titan where it hurt. The masked man hissed in agony as spires of smoke rose from where the Cyber Dragon had shot him. Zane felt a savage pleasure rise within him at the sight of his enemy in pain.

 _"Good…the bastard deserves it after what he's done, what he plans to do…"_ The thought slithered slowly through Zane's mind. He would have liked to wonder where such a vicious impulse came from, to be shocked by his own thoughts…but they weren't shocking in the slightest. This cruelty had always lurked within.

 _"Was I only honorable in sunshine days, when things were easy? Are the principles I was raised on only burdens in the end? Would I truly be a better duelist if I discarded them and embraced the singular virtue of power?"_ This wasn't the first time Zane had considered these questions – they plagued him when he was alone, when his mind was undistracted with the diversions and duties of day-to-day living. In the end, little came of dwelling on the subject, because he had little reason to change his ways before now, when his life was on the line.

" _But what good are principles if I die here and now? Could I live with the person I would become?"_ He had to choose a path, and soon – Titan was rising to his feet, and Zane could hear demonic voices beckoning from the shadows.

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(Atticus Rhodes POV)

Atticus silently walked through the hospital wing, which was eerily silent. At the sound of the alarms, most of the doctors and nurses locked down their wards and hid, following the protocol for when an invader was in the building. However, Atticus' minder was gone. Red hair, long legs, the whole package. She was super hot, but Atticus couldn't remember her name. She was a teacher at this school too…this is a school, right? It all seemed so familiar…

He didn't know where he was going, but something carried his feet forward regardless.

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(Zane Truesdale POV)

"Well, if you believe that strength is the only thing that determines a true duelist, then what do we make of this? You're lying on the floor, Titan. Even by your own logic, you're a loser." Zane normally felt himself above such taunts, but the taste of blood sharpened his tongue.

But Titan only chuckled, rising to his feet. "The duel isn't over until the last card is played." It was a phrase Jaden was fond of – just hearing the words from Titan's mouth was a perversion in Zane's view. All in all, it amazed the Kaiser just how much disgust he felt for the man in front of him.

"Just make your damn move." Zane spat.

"Oh, I will." Titan drew. "And I'll start by playing another **Allure of Darkness**!" He drew two and banished a dark monster once more. "Then, I shall play Preparation of Rites, letting me add a level seven or lower ritual monster from deck to hand. Then, I can add a ritual spell from the graveyard to my hand." Zane saw him add back the ritual of the Matador. _"Does he plan to summon the Matador again?"_ Zane wondered, hoping he would draw into another method of monster removal.

However, Zane's assumption was incorrect. "I activate the Ritual Spell Card, **Advanced Ritual Art**! This lets me ritual summon a monster using normal monsters from my deck as a sacrifice!" A light blue pillar, similar to the Cyber Dragon's Evolution Burst in color, shot up from the ground behind Titan. Zane cried out as his eyes were overwhelmed by the sudden, blinding light.

"By sending Summoned Skull from my deck to the graveyard, I can summon the creature that will bring about your end. It is fitting, that a monster used often by the King of Games will bring about the Kaiser's end, don't you think?!" Titan cackled.

"What do you mean?!" Zane demanded.

"It's not exactly the same, but its mere image will suffice! I summon **Advent Summoned Skull (2500/1200)**!"

The creature that emerged from the blue light bore great resemblance to the Summoned Skull formerly used by Yugi Moto back in his early dueling days – it was a fearsome and tall demon with a white, bony carapace and violet skin. But the difference lied in the blue lightning that coursed around the demon's body, crackling menacingly.

"A ritual Summoned Skull…" Zane once again found himself out of his depth.

"Master Kagemaru is a generous man, to have blessed me with a more powerful version of my favorite card." Titan said appreciatively. "I know not where he got such powerful cards, but I can tell that this is only a taste of an entire new world of power…"

"I will defeat everything you throw my way. Every thing." Zane's determination was absolute.

"That statement will be put to the test soon enough. This monster cannot be destroyed by the attacks or effects of non-ritual monsters. I assume you play ritual monsters, right Kaiser?" Titan explained.

Zane didn't play ritual monsters, they both knew this. But the Obelisk Blue student could still draw into a spell or trap that could destroy it. This new variant of Summoned Skull was strong, but far from unbeatable. He tried to remember this as lightning sparked at the demon's fingertips.

"Advent Summoned Skull, attack Cyber Dragon Drei with lightning strike!" The demon shot out bolts of blue electricity at Zane's smaller dragon form its fingers.

Zane's eyes adjusted to the new source of light well enough, and he quickly responded. "I use the effect of your Dark Arena to direct our attack at Cyber Dragon!"

In the shadows, Zane's dragons switched places, the stronger of the two shielding the weaker from the lightning bolts. Cyber Dragon exploded, sending Zane flying backwards. **(Zane 800/Titan 1600)**

"Argh!" Zane landed on his side awkwardly, and pain began to linger there.

"You've put up a decent fight, considering that you've been fighting in the dark. If you're lucky, perhaps you will be strong enough to rise from the dark pits as well. Then, we would be brothers." Titan laughed with sick humor.

"I have a brother." Zane muttered.

"If you'd like, I can send him to join you in hell. I always try to honor a man's dying request – unless that request is to spare his life, of course." Titan replied with a smile.

That did it. That was the final straw. Zane pounded his fist on the ground. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH!" He roared – it was the first time he had raised his voice in many years. Titan ceased smiling immediately.

"You disgust me, Titan! You attacked one of my teachers, a woman I admire! You not only threaten the life of my comatose best friend, but now you threaten the life of my younger brother! And to top it all off, you spit on my principles and call me weak! You smile and toy with me, using a deck you didn't build and power you don't deserve! NO MORE!" Zane screamed.

"Fuck honor. Fuck respect. And FUCK. YOU!" The Kaiser drew his next card as Titan gaped in shock.

"What the hell are you looking at!?" Zane growled, but in a moment he felt an unknown force grab his arm, preventing him from looking at the card he had drawn.

"What?!" Zane snapped his head to the right to look upon who or what had restrained him.

His rage-filled blue eyes met the brown irises of Atticus Rhodes.

"Atticus…what are you doing here?" Zane's anger was momentarily replaced by sheer confusion. Why was Atticus up and about, and why did he hold Zane back now?

"I remember you…" Atticus muttered. "Zane…"

"He's awake, and has regained some clarity! How is his willpower this strong?" Titan was dumbfounded.

"Atticus let go of me! How did you wake up?" Zane said forcefully.

"I can feel it coming back to me…the fog is so deep. But I know that this isn't the Zane Truesdale I knew." Atticus' voice was strangely blank, as though even his distinctive vocal inflections were forgotten. "This isn't who my best friend is."

The words cut Zane to the core. But was this truly Atticus? Alexis described his actions and words during their duel as those of a demon. Was this a cruel illusion created by Titan to destabilize him further? No, the masked man looked as confused as he was.

"Are you Zane Truesdale?" Atticus wasn't asking the question sarcastically or judgmentally – he saw Zane's behavior, and it wasn't congruent with the fragmented memories he had of his best friend. All the same, Zane found the question piercing.

"Can I really be brought so low by the likes of him?" Brought back from the brink of an animalistic rage, Zane once again grappled with doubt.

"Who are you?" Atticus wasn't in his right mind, and he continued to speak the same question over and over. "Do you know Zane Truesdale?"

"Enough of this foolishness. Make your move so I can destroy you and Atticus." Titan snarled – now he was the impatient one.

 _"I want to destroy him. I want to break him into a thousand pieces and unleash the full extent of my rage."_ Zane thought. _"No one would ever know about it. Atticus won't remember this. I could open the cage and let the beast free."_

 _"But I won't."_

For as long as he could remember, Zane had always been setting an example. At first it was for Syrus – a boy he could never relate to, as much as it pained him. He did not share Syrus' love for trains and cars, nor his enjoyment of harem anime and light novels. Zane had never lacked for courage, so it was hard for him to understand Syrus' constant worrying. But he tried anyways, by being the stoic, aloof big brother. He failed to teach and be a mentor to Syrus, so Zane hoped that he could serve as a barrier, a wall for Syrus to surpass.

It was much the same when he first arrived at Duel Academy. Almost immediately he had risen in the ranks of the Obelisk Blue dorm. Zane went to prep school, which helped him slightly towards landing in Obelisk Blue as a freshman. A great deal more of it had to do with the fact that he defeated his entrance exam proctor in a single turn. Within a few weeks, he had brought all of his rivals in Obelisk Blue to heel, and was known as the undisputed best duelist on the island by the end of his first month as a student.

Thus, he earned the nickname, "Kaiser", and was seen as an untouchable, perfect duelist to aspire to. In that sense, he was a role model to his peers on the island as well.

What would they all think if he gave in to his base instincts now? What would Syrus think? Once he went down the dark path, Zane knew that he wouldn't be able to go back – he would rely on his anger and rage more and more until it defined him in totality. He would be letting them all down if he uncaged the beast now.

Zane remembered his duels against Jamie, and how much fun he had during them. The freshman had a prodigious talent, one not dissimilar to his own as a freshman. _"If I choose the way of darkness here, how can I ever hope to face him?"_

There had to be a way to win without giving into the anger. Taking a deep breath, Zane calmed down as much as he could and gently shook Atticus' arm off of him. Atticus, still in a daze, hesitantly took a few steps back, looking between Zane and Titan with confusion.

"Just a little longer, old friend…" Zane said, the hot coals of his anger cooled by childhood memories of him and Atticus playing together. He hoped that things could be like the old days once Atticus regained his memories, but he was getting ahead of himself.

"Well? Has looking upon that vegetable granted you some revelation?" Titan taunted. "Or have you finally become acquainted with your true self?"

Zane looked at his opponent placidly. "I won't be like you. I'll never be like you."

"I activate my own **Card of Sanctity**!" Zane was able to draw five cards off the spell's effect, and as he drew, he imagined Atticus, Alexis, Syrus, Jaden, and Jamie each giving him a card, placing their trust in him.

"You'll never be like me? So you turn your back on strength?" Titan responded, drawing some cards of his own.

"Not at all. I will always grow stronger, for my bonds are my strength! First, I activate **Cybernetic Fusion Support**! By halving my life points, I can banish monsters from my hand, field, or grave for the fusion summon of a machine monster this turn." **(Zane 400/Titan 1600)**

"And this bond is the strongest of all! I play **Power Bond**!" The Cyber Dragon Drei on the field was fused with the two Cyber Dragons Zane had in his graveyard, bringing together the **Cyber End Dragon (4000/2800)**. The three-headed hydra casually blasted the darkness away, and the midmorning sun cast its rays down at Zane, Atticus, and Titan both.

"Oh god, natural light!' Titan seemed to shrivel in the sunlight, as did his Summoned Skull.

"Your Summoned Skull can only be destroyed in battle by Ritual monsters…but that doesn't matter a whole lot when you're going to take 5500 points of damage right now!" Zane clenched his fist before thrusting his hand forward. "And with only one monster on your field, Dark Arena doesn't matter anymore either. You don't matter anymore. This attack will light the way to my future!"

"No, this is impossible!" Titan cried.

"Boring and generic last words…how fitting. Cyber End Dragon, attack with triple evolution burst!" Zane's ace monster unleashed a triangular beam of energy that pierced through the Advent Summoned Skull and hit Titan square in the chest. **(Zane 400/Titan 0)**

Their cards faded, signaling the game's end. Zane stood proudly in victory for a moment before he felt the tiredness and fatigue catch up to him, hitting him all at once like a freight train. He let out a heavy sigh that he didn't even know he was holding in before dropping one knee, and then finally deciding to just lay on his back.

"No! I won't go back there, you hear me!? I will not!" Zane dimly heard Titan shouting at the top of his lungs. Tilting his head up, the Kaiser saw his adversary surrounded by shapeless masses of dark energy, the waves slowly enclosing around him.

Titan met eyes with Zane (or at least Zane thought he did, it was difficult to tell since Titan was wearing a mask), and silently begged for a reprieve. But there was nothing Zane could do. Even if he could, Zane wouldn't have saved him besides. The man deserved his fate.

The Kaiser watched dispassionately as the shadows swallowed him back into the abyss. Eventually, his screams died out and were swallowed by the din of the darkness, until there was no sound at all, and everything had returned to normal.

Zane stared at the spot where Titan had been, a thousand thoughts flying through his mind, until a hand on his shoulder brought him out of his reverie.

"Atticus!" Zane's eyes widened. "Did it work? Do you remember?"

Atticus closed his eyes and gave a wide smile. "Mm-hmm! How's it going, Zane? It sure is good to be back!"

 _"He doesn't know. He doesn't know about how close I came to becoming a monster. He doesn't know how he saved me today."_ Zane wanted to thank him, but couldn't.

And deep inside, the rage still festered.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxxX

(Jamie Lancaster (My) POV

"There, I end my turn." I grumbled as Britney Spears vocals set the stage to our epic battle with the big bad villain. The fact that we were playing a game to decide the fate of an entire island and possibly the planet was absurd enough, but this was just insane. Not for the first time, I wondered whether I was acclimating to the craziness of this universe, or if I was already insane beforehand. The idea that I might die was not terribly distressing – I was living a lie, and my entire existence here was an aberration of nature. But the thought that the people of this island, who were honestly pursuing their lives, might be snuffed out prematurely was intolerable. To prevent that, I would fight anyone. Was this the thought process of a hero? Who knows – the winners apply the labels of hero and villain anyways.

Kagemaru drew. "Appearances can be deceiving…I know better than to overlook your Melodious Divas. I activate the spell Allure of Darkness, allowing me to draw two cards as long as I banish a Dark monster from my hand afterwards."

"Then, I shall summon Predaplant Spinodionaea (1800/0)!" A green dinosaur with a venus flytrap sprouting from its back appeared in a pillar of violet light. It, like the other Predaplant monsters, was an unseemly mixture of plant and animal.

"Do you know what that thing does?" Jaden asked quickly.

I did, but to explain would be unwieldy. "He'll tell us shortly. Is your face-down useful?"

"Well, I thought so, but I might a bit out of my depth here, hehe." Jaden scratched his head sheepishly.

"We'll be fine. Just follow your instincts." I said. Jaden would be far from useless in this match, despite his vastly underpowered hero deck – if Kagemaru was focused on me, then Jaden could potentially run disruption and catch him by surprise. At least, that was my hope.

"When this monster is summoned, I can target one of your monsters and place a Predator Counter upon it. I choose the Bloom Diva." A green cocklebur with spots of red suddenly flew from the Spino's maw and latched onto my Bloom Diva's leg, causing her to stop singing and cry out in pain. As much I claimed to despise my Diva's unfitting pop music, hearing them in pain was enraging on a whole new level.

"As long as a monster has a predator counter becomes level one so long as it is on the field." Kagemaru briefly exposited. "And then, I shall activate another one of Starving Venom's effects. Once per turn, I can target a level five or higher monster on your field. Then, Starving Venom takes its name and gains its effects for a turn!"

Simply by focusing on it, the dragon was able to temporarily absorb the Flame Wingman's effect. Now, if it destroyed a monster, Kagemaru would be able to burn us for the destroyed monster's attack points.

"Attack!" The huge violet dragon let out a stream of toxins towards Jaden's monster, but the Slifer was ready.

"I activate Hero Barrier! This negates your attack!" An electric barrier materialized between the virulent venom and the Flame Wingman, burning away the toxic chemicals and leaving an acrid stench in the air. This place was beginning to smell like complete shit all around, to be perfectly frank.

Jaden plugged his nose. "Merciful Ra, that's nasty! You sure went overboard with this whole Shadow Game thing, Kage!"

"What's the matter, key keeper? Are you unable to handle the smell of battle?" Kagemaru seemed to realize that was a cheesy thing to say even as the words were leaving his mouth. After an awkward pause, he said, "I end my turn."

"My move!" Jaden began. "I play E-Emergency Call, letting me add a Hero from deck to hand! Then, I set a monster and a face-down card." The Slifer paused for a moment before continuing. "Ok, I attack your Predaplant Spinodio…thing with Flame Wingman! Go, infernal rage!"

Jaden's go-to fusion unleashed a torrent of flame towards the plant raptor. "I activate my face-down Book of Moon to flip your monster to face-down position." Kagemaru said, bored. Jaden's attack was unceremoniously halted.

"Are you alright with losing your wingman?' I asked him.

"Looks like I'm gonna lose him next turn anyways. Why?"

"Attack the dragon with my Bloom Diva."

Jaden weighed the option briefly before nodding. "Alright, I attack Starving Venom Fusion Dragon with Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir!"

Despite the pain in her leg, my Diva was still able to attack unimpeded. She flew up to face the imposing dragon directly before unleashing a wave of sound at it. The voice of Britney Spears overwhelmed the dragon's eardrums and caused it to disintegrate, Infinity War style.

"And after she attacks a specially summoned monster, that monster is destroyed, and you take damage equal to its attack points!" The Venom Dragon was completely destroyed by the diva, and Kagemaru was sent flying onto his back by the force of my fusion monster's attack. (Jaden 4000/Jamie 4000/Kagemaru 5200)

"Grr…damn it! This may be more difficult than I anticipated…" Kagemaru tanked the hit and quickly returned to his feet. "But my dragon has an effect when it is destroyed as well! All Special Summoned monsters are taken down with it!"

A cloud of poison erupted where the dragon used to be, quickly corroding and destroying Elemental Hero Flame Wingman. Bloom Diva began to sing again, her voice creating a barrier around her that kept the toxins at bay. Her effect prevented her from being destroyed by card effects.

"Hell yeah, that was a nice move! We took out a huge threat and dealt a lot of damage! A few more attacks like that and we've got this in the bag! I had no idea those Divas had that much power!" Jaden cheered, but each of his words sounded like a jinx to me. I doubted we'd seen the last of that dragon, and my Diva still had a predator counter on her.

Kagemaru wiped away blood from his mouth, the red liquid serving as a reminder that he was not immortal yet. "I expected power of this level…it is unbecoming to give you hope like this. It is time to end this. And once am I finished, your darkness will be destroyed root and stem!"

Jaden and I steeled our expressions as Kagemaru took his next turn.

XxXxXxXxxXXxxXXx

(? POV)

Unbeknownst to any of the three duelists, their battle was not an entirely private affair. In the shadow of the palm trees rested a fiendish creature of dark origin. Most of its body was composed of a single large eyeball with yellow sclera, while small claws and wings extending from that focal point.

It was a Meda Bat (800/400), a duel spirit so weak that its only real uses were as a scout and an observer. And that's exactly what it was doing – staying out of the way and relaying the battle to its masters. It was doubtful that Jaden, Jamie, or Kagemaru would see the bat, especially considering their heightened focus on the duel.

Across space and time and dimensions, the Meda Bat acted as a television channel, showing every detail of the battle to a shadowy audience.

In a different dimension, five duel spirits watched the battle between the Hero, the Lion, and the Immortal with great interest. They each sat a round table in a dark chamber. At the center of the table was a crystal ball, which served as a medium between the watchers and the Meda Bat. The light from the sphere casted weak shadows across the room, barely rendering the features of the watchers visible.

"Oho! It appears the boys have dealt a heavy blow to Kagemaru! Now the game should get a bit more interesting." A devious-looking man with shocking red hair snickered. His eyes glimmered like rubies, and runic tattoos adorned his body. He wore a plain mauve tunic, a pair of grey trousers, and a dagger at his side.

Around him sat a motley crew. There was another vaguely human figure with light blue skin wearing black and violet mage's robes, his jester-esque boots resting upon the table as he leaned back in his chair.

"Hehehe…indeed, a most amusing battle." Said the Duel Spirit of Chaos Sorcerer mockingly.

The third watcher was a fairly tall figure dressed in knight's armor. Every inch of his figure was covered in steel plate, showing not an inch of skin. The knight's species was assumed to be human, but no one had ever seen him take off the armor, so they could not sure. His helmet was a cold metal mask, showing no trace of emotion.

"…" And what's more, the knight was quiet and taciturn, only speaking when absolutely necessary. Even the others at the table could only guess at the knight's true feelings and intentions. This was the Duel Spirit of Blade Knight.

The fourth one at the table was a spirit that Jamie Lancaster would find all too familiar, for it was the Duel Spirit of Jinzo, the same one who tried to regain his body at the beginning of the school year. The cyborg had been banished to this dark realm by the Lion of Obelisk after his failed attempt at taking over the body of a Duel Academy student.

Jinzo was enraged that Lancaster had managed to defeat him without even using his real deck. He seethed silently, watching the game with a cold, angry focus.

The fifth and final spirit was leaning back, and thus in shadow. Only a pair of eyes could be seen gazing out of the darkness – one a burning orange, and the other an electric teal.

"Of all the pitiful humans that the king had to team up with, of course it had to be the fucking _lion_ …" Its voice was filled with demonic hatred. "To think that this wretch feels comfortable standing alongside the king in battle – what a sick joke! If he had any wits about him, Jamie Lancaster would bow on his knees and beg for the king's favor." The monster's voice was an odd thing. It had two layers, one voice sounding like a spoiled little girl while the other resembled the deep baritone of a grown man. Both tones on top of each created a profoundly unsettling cadence, but the other spirits at the table seemed to be used to it.

"And yet, it would appear that the Lancaster boy has inflicted first blood…mayhaps he is more powerful than we give him credit for." Mister Volcano said casually.

"Silence!" The two-layered voice shrieked. "He is arrogant and weak. The Lancaster boy is filled with the power of the Gentle Darkness, but he fails to understand its significance. That power should only belong to the king! Anyone else who has it is an impostor."

"This is true – the boy does have a dark aura about him. What I am more curious about is Kagemaru. It appears he has made an alliance with an ancient and powerful duel spirit, one which I have never heard of before. He claims to have the ultimate fusion summoning – it may be that he is more of a threat than the lion." Chaos Sorcerer speculated.

"That is what we mean to find out. Either the lion or Kagemaru will die this day, which is fortunate for us. If the two of them teamed up, then I doubt any of us could defeat them." Jinzo said frankly.

"Do you deny my power, android?!" The shadowy demon screeched. "Do you believe I am unable to protect my king?!"

"That was not my meaning, master!" Jinzo apologized hastily as Yubel emerged from the shadows. They were a study in dichotomies – half of their hair was a shocking shade of purple, while the other half was white as snow. On the left side of Yubel's body was a female breast, on the right a male pectoral. Their hands were purple and scaled like a dragon's, and a huge third eye was situated on their forehead.

Jinzo cowered in fear before Yubel, completely abandoning any pretense of dignity or courage. His eyes were aimed firmly at the floor, his head bowed in deference.

"Please, I swear I meant no disrespect, I have nothing but the highest esteem for –"

Yubel flicked their left hand, and suddenly Jinzo was writhing on the ground. His shrieks of pain were punctuated by the sounds of circuits frying and his voice modulator crackling. "AAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!"

Mister Volcano and Chaos Sorcerer seemed wholly unbothered by the sight of Jinzo in agony, but Blade Knight turned away in discomfort and disgust at the display of cruelty. The armor-clad one did not seem overly pleased with his compatriots in general – it was clear that his involvement in this partnership came at the expense of his personal tastes.

"Good." Yubel answered softly. "Never forget that the only reason you continue to exist is at my pleasure, Jinzo."

"Anyways, once the time is right, I can kill the both of these interlopers in one fell swoop. I mean to see them both headless before the sun sets, although there would be a certain satisfaction to burning them alive as well." They said casually as Jinzo grew silent and curled up in the fetal position.

"My mental ink with Jaden has grown strong – I believe that I can act through him now. And I will prove that the bond of pain is the strongest of all. It is absolute."

" _That_ would certainly make the game more interesting as well." Mister Volcano chimed in. "Taking over the red boy's mind, I mean."

"I should like to get my hands on Kagemaru's deck. That sort of power would make us completely unstoppable." Chaos Sorcerer rubbed his hands together in conspiratorial fashion.

"No." Yubel said forcefully. "That deck will be mine. Monsters of that power should be used to protect the king, and I am best served to do that."

Blade Knight glanced at Yubel, the hermaphrodite noticing his movement immediately. "And Blade Knight here will take the lion's Divas for his own, as we agreed." Yubel said unctuously.

"As we agreed." Blade Knight said tersely, mistrust evident in his tone. The two of them shared a meaningful look before returning to the match. The others grew silent and turned to their attention back to the game as well.

"Soon, my love, we will be together _forever_ …" Yubel would frequently mutter under their breath like a prayer. _"Forever…forever…forever…."_

Jinzo continued to whimper on the floor for a long time.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **As I'm sure you can tell, I really like writing Zane, he's probably my favorite character in GX. In this chapter, we find him at the crossroads between his childhood ideals and the path of the Hell Kaiser. The reason that he has been confronted with this choice earlier than in canon is because his Shadow Rider opponent really challenged him this time. In canon he had Camula beat hands-down, only losing because of the old hostage dilemma with Syrus. Here, Titan had a ton of modern cards that pushed Zane to his absolute limits, and his life was on the line.**

 **In the end, Zane chose honor, but this choice is not final, as the end of this chapter hopefully indicated. Atticus brought him back from the brink – on his own, Zane would've descended into darkness. What do you think will happen to Zane in the future? He's definitely got big things ahead of him!**

 **On other fronts, we see Alexis getting saddled with cleanup crew. Hopefully you guys found the Abidos fight somewhat interesting, I tried my damndest to make it so, even relying on a fanservicy cameo. It's interesting to consider how Alexis handled the situation compared to Jaden, anyways.**

 **Meanwhile, the J-boys (good god, that's a horrible nickname, I should delete this) continue to face Kagemaru and appear to have the upper hand. Of course, we all know what happens in Yugioh when a character appears to have the upper hand. And to top it all off, we have some observers looking to do more than just observe. Jaden, Jamie, and Kagemaru might have company on their hands before long. Next chapter will be devoted to that battle.**

 **And on a lighter note, I would like to extend my thanks once again for your readership, I recently saw that this story has the third most follows in the entire GX archive! I don't do this for the sake of popularity, never have, never will. But to think that this story has been around for ten months and it's gotten this far…I'm truly thankful.**

 **By the way, and I can't believe I never brought this up before, my name on Duel Links is ObeliskLion. If anyone wants to add me, feel free! I work a lot, but I like to log on for a bit at the end of the day, and I will gladly duel anyone who wishes to do so.**


	26. The Last Firstborn

Chapter 26: The Last Firstborn

 **A/N**

 **Hey guys, I'm switching things up a bit and doing an author's note at the beginning. This chapter will conclude the Shadow Riders arc. I would label the arcs so far as the New Beginnings Arc, which lasted from Chapters 1-13, and the Shadow Riders arc, which lasted from Chapter 14-26. The arc after this will be the First Summer Arc, which will last for probably eight or nine chapters. I can't wait to write it for you guys, because now is really when we start to diverge from the canon stuff and start seeing more of the Yugioh world.**

 **In the First Summer Arc, we'll see old characters from the original Yugioh series, we'll catch up with Chazz and Jesse's plotline, we'll travel to all sorts of new locations, and we'll delve into Jamie's relationship with his "family", and how he'll move forward in his new life. It's gonna be so much fun!**

 **This chapter in particular was one of the duels I had envisioned when I first started plotting out State of the Meta. I sincerely hope that it turned out on the page as it did in my head, and I hope you all enjoy it. There will be some surprises ahead, I'm curious how you guys react to them. Here are some tunes that I listened to while writing:**

 **Celldweller – The Last Firstborn**

 **Papa Roach – Face Everything and Rise**

 **Blue Stahli – The Pure and the Tainted**

 **The Glitch Mob – We Swarm**

 **Dragon Ball FighterZ OST – Merged Zamasu's Theme**

 **There's one more song at the end, and you'll know it when you see it! Enjoy, and thanks for reading! I'll see you in the First Summer Arc!**

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

The sky was crimson, the sand was black, the water purple. Though the Starving Venom Fusion Dragon was destroyed for the time bring, the perverse effects it had on the environment remained, like oil in the ocean years after a spill.

But in the center of it all was Kagemaru, who was full of vitality and life, and growing stronger all the time. In a cloud of toxins, he remained unblemished and in perfect health, a bizarre contradiction.

I looked at Erin, who laid unconscious behind us, her very life force used as fuel for this man's ambitions, and the fire in me lit up again. I don't know if I feel the same way about her as she does for me, but I did care for her a great deal. I couldn't help but feel as though I was partially to blame for this empowered Kagemaru somehow. I had to find out the source of new cards! This might not be the last I see of cards from my timeline, if whatever technique Kagemaru used to obtain them could be replicated.

As I brooded, Jaden was right beside me, smiling as if this were simply a normal day.

"Draw." Kagemaru said casually. "I shall play **Fusion Sage** to add a Polymerization to my hand."

"Oh, here we go again." I grumbled.

"And what's more, I'll play my field spell, **Fusion Recycling Plant**." To add to the general sense of pollution and decay, mounds of scrap metal and garbage piled onto the sands, rising from nowhere like a dark secret from the past.

"As you might guess, this card allows me to recycle one material used in a fusion summon during my turn. Once I fusion summon, I get the material of my choice back during the end phase. But you'll see that soon enough. Now, for something more impressive." Kagemaru explained. "I summon **Predaplant Chlamydosundew (600/200)**."

"How does he pronounce these names?" Jaden wondered while scratching his head. "I bet he can't spell it to save his life though."

Onto Kagemaru's side of the field appeared a vibrant green frilled lizard, with bulbous red spores growing from its skin and claws. "I know it's not much for looks, but it makes up for it with its effect. You see, this monster's effect allows me to fusion summon Dark-attribute fusion monsters without using Polymerization."

"Damn, he's lucky he drew that." I cursed.

"Why? You can just take it down with that Bloom Diva of yours, right?" Jaden asked naively.

Kagemaru chuckled. "I'm afraid not. You see, my sundew allows me to use any monster on the field with a predator counter on it as a material…" Jaden's eyes widened as my Bloom Diva was pulled to Kagemaru's side of the field.

"Jamie-kun, what's happening? I don't wanna go!" She cried, and I winced. My diva and his lizard merged together, and a wholly unique creature emerged, completely lacking any resemblance to its materials.

"I fusion summon **Predaplant Dragostapelia (2700/1900)**!" An enormous dragon flew unto the field. It was smaller than the Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, but it was still intimidating in its own right, its scales made of hard leaves and its claws carved from thorns. Its wings were deep violet, and sacs of poison could be seen running along its tail.

"This deck can summon all sorts of fusion monsters – its capability is nearly limitless! Now, my dragon will launch an attack on Jaden's face-down monster!" The green creature shot out a stream of venom at Jaden's monster.

"Don't use your face-downs." Jaden quickly commanded, and I chose to trust him. The attack landed on Wroughtweiler (800/1200) a mechanical hound that I assume was the Elemental Hero equivalent of Ace the Bat-dog? I never read that many superhero comics to be honest. Either way, this was actually a good thing.

"Nice! When Wroughtweiler is destroyed, I can add a hero and a copy of Polymerization from my grave to my hand!" Jaden added Burstinatrix and Polymerization to his hand.

"And now, I'll play my face-down card, **Hero Signal**! When a monster of mine is destroyed, I can summon a level four or lower hero from my deck! And I choose to play **Elemental Hero Stratos (1800/300)**!"

In this timeline, Stratos was free and ready to do some damage. The wind Elemental Hero descended to the field using his weird propeller jetpack. His effect was so damn useful that it didn't matter what he rode in on.

"And when Stratos is summoned, I can add an Elemental Hero from my deck to my hand!" Jaden chose to add Elemental Hero Woodsman – an interesting decision, but there was no doubt he had some serious hand advantage now. Jaden doesn't just rely on luck like many claim he does, he uses decent cards as well. The fact that he was keeping up at all was impressive in its own right.

"Hmm. Well met, boy." Kagemaru seemed to mull something over in his mind before continuing. "I end my turn, and this my Fusion Recycling Plant activates, allowing me to retrieve Predaplant Sundew from my graveyard and place it in my hand."

I took a deep breath. "Alright, I'm up. Draw." Swallowing, I looked over my cards carefully. One wrong move meant death, and I was never the type to go in guns blazing.

"I cast the **First Movement Solo**. Since I control no monsters, I can special summon a level four or lower melodious diva from my deck to the field. I choose to summon **Aria the Melodious Diva (1600/1200)** in attack mode!" A slim, flighty songstress with her hair in a violet bob and draped in a dark purple dress took the field. She gave me a placid smile, the same one that a famous idol singer would give a fanboy.

"When this monster is special summoned, as long as it's on the field Melodious monsters cannot be targeted by card effects or destroyed by battle!" I declared – this was a great defensive card, and she had a nice voice as well. Most importantly, he wouldn't be able to put predator counters on my monsters now.

"Wow, I'm convinced now! Those cards are mondo cool!" Jaden gushed.

"That's right, boys." I said wryly. "Mondo cool. Next, I can special summon **Canon the Melodious Diva (1400/2000)** from my hand, since I already have a diva on the field." I summoned my next singer in defense mode. She had a shock of blue hair, a gold masquerade mask, and a checkered blue and black dress.

I could have exceed summoned with the two level fours I had on the field, but the First Movement Solo only let me special summon Melodious monsters on the turn it is played. "I shall end with that."

"Shoot, you don't have any face-downs?" Jaden inquired. I didn't, but I did have a hand trap which I meant to use. But I couldn't tell Jaden that without revealing it to Kagemaru, so I said, "Nope."

Kagemaru looked at me warily. "Do not take his words at face-value, Jaden. Your teammate is fond of deception." The immortal said darkly, trying to poison the well.

"Who, Jamie? Yeah, he can be a tricky fighter. He's fun to duel because of that! Makes me use my brain and stuff." Jaden replied blithely.

"Indeed, and his tricks are not limited to the dueling fields-" Kagemaru insinuated before I cut him off.

"You were the one impatient with us earlier, and now you try and distract us with prattle? But then, I suppose if it weren't for double standards, the likes of you wouldn't have any standards at all. Take your turn, sir." I said coldly, knowing what he was getting at. If it came down to his word against mine, I would think that Jaden would trust me. But if he succeeding at planting doubt in the Slifer's mind…that would be really bad. The others admired Jaden and I was sure that if it came down to him versus me, most would choose him. And if more spectators showed up to this duel…things would get even more complicated. This game needed to end, and fast. Harrying Kagemaru could also lead him to making a mistake, although that was a faint hope at best.

He knew that I had impaled him on his own blade, logically speaking. "Hmph. Fine. I draw. First, I'll use my dragon's effect to place a predator counter on Elemental Hero Stratos." A cocklebur latched onto the hero's jetpack. Stratos turned to it with confusion, looking to Jaden as if he was going to pry it off with his own two hands.

"And I'm sure you can guess what I'm going to do next. I summon the Predaplant Chlamydosundew that I got back with Fusion Recycling Plant!" The frilled lizard returned, looking to spread more of its pollen.

"Ok, can you say that again?" Jaden was bewildered.

"And then I'll-erm, what?" Kagemaru caught himself. "Say what again?"

"The name of that one monster." Jaden said. I rolled my eyes.

"Which one?" Kagemaru wasn't feigning ignorance, sadly.

"The little lizard guy you just played."

"Oh, that? It's pronounced Chlamydosundew." Kagemaru said quickly.

"Ok, I think I get it…" said Jaden, even though he clearly did not get it.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "GO!"

"Right, sorry." Kagemaru actually appeared contrite for a moment, even though he was trying to kill us. "Anyways, I'm going to fuse my Chlamydosundew with your Stratos!"

Calling on a deep well of energy, Kagemaru clapped his hands together. "You call yourselves heroes, but what I represent is true justice. The predator's will is law in nature – it is the natural way of things. You ask why I seek immortality, but I have no sophistry to offer. The answer is simple. Because the strong do what they will! The notions of the weak, the opinions of the many – they are meaningless in the face of a true predator! That is why the Shadow Riders follow me- they know that it is natural to bend the knee in the face of a superior beast! I fusion summon **Predaplant Chimerarafflesia (2500/2000)**!" From the sea emerged an enormous flower with five bright pink petals. Several growths spouted from the flower, vines which gained sentient mouths and vicious snarls.

"Aw man, I'm wide open!" Jaden said nonchalantly, which was a rather hilarious response to Kagemaru's speech in my opinion. I personally had little to add to that. We are men, not beasts, and there is no point in attempting to reason with an animal.

"Indeed you are! And now, Chimerarafflesia will attack you directly!" The giant venus flytraps raced towards Jaden with spines bared.

"Well, maybe that wasn't completely true! I still got this! Go, **Flute of Summoning Kuriboh**! This lets summon **Winged Kuriboh (300/200)** from my deck in defense mode!"

The winged furball leapt to Jaden's defense, its little arms crossed defiantly. "As if I would let such a trifle stop me!" Kagemaru roared, continuing his attack. The rafflesia devoured the Winged Kuriboh in gruesome fashion, but Jaden's duel spirit successfully defended his life points.

"And now I won't take damage for the rest of the turn, due to Winged Kuriboh's power! Thanks, pal." Jaden grinned at his duel spirit, who did not look pleased at being destroyed so quickly.

"That may be true, but Lancaster is a different story! Predaplant Dragostapelia, attack Canon the Melodious Diva!" The dragon flapped its wings and lifted off, taking a swipe at one of my girls.

"Not gonna happen! From my hand, I activate the quick effect of **Score the Melodious Diva (200/200)**!" A tiny fairy appeared in the air next to my arm, a sheet of notes in her miniscule hand. "During damage calculation, I can discard this card to the graveyard to reduce your attacking monster to zero!" The sprite belted out some pop music ("Circus", by Britney Spears) to weaken the plant dragon tremendously. I could relate, hearing Britney as my "battle theme" was starting to weaken me as well.

"I figured you would have something like that." Kagemaru smirked. "Activate Counter Trap, **Ultimate Providence**! Since you activated a monster effect, I can discard a monster from my hand to graveyard to negate it!" He sent Predaplant Squid Drosera to the graveyard in order to snuff out my pixie, sending her unceremoniously offstage.

The attack went through, the dragon suddenly twisting and striking my diva with its tail. She was flung across the field, although my Aria's effect protected her from destruction. I felt the same force, and the wind rushed from my gut as I hit the ground. **(Jaden 4000/Jamie 2700/Kagemaru 5200)**

I growled – the attack hurt, but it just made me angry more than anything, and I didn't lose a lot from the exchange. "So you saved your counter trap just for that, huh…"

"It worked exactly as intended. You boys ought to know that the predator is always the smarter animal. Prey like yourselves should not question me!" He added back his Chlamydosundew with Fusion Recycling Plant as he ended his turn. Kagemaru looked jubilant now that he damaged me – it showed that I was not as invincible as I appeared the night I vanquished Camula. Seeing the smile on his face stoked prideful rage within me, and I could feel my heart pounding in my ears. We faced down two powerful fusion monsters, and Jaden had nothing on the field. This next move could make or break us, literally.

Jaden drew, and looked confused for a moment, until he seemed to remember something. "I can't believe it, that I would draw this card in this moment…was this what you meant for me, professor?"

What did he mean? "What do you mean?" Kagemaru asked as I thought the question simultaneously.

Then suddenly, the memories came back.

 _"Many regrets weigh on my heart in these final moments, but knowing you was not one of them, Jaden. You have made me proud today. This day has made you stronger."_

 _"We are all fish swimming in an ocean of paths, and the path we choose to embark on colors our destiny."_

 _"Part of growing up is figuring out which of the infinite paths available you will choose to walk."_

A pair of crimson irises and a catlike grin filled my mind's eye. Professor Banner, a man I ratted out and did my level best to destroy, had helped us in this crucial moment. I knew what card Jaden had just drawn, and I felt some guilt as I recalled the professor's body crumbling into ash and dust.

"Heh, I'm a lucky man." Jaden said humbly. "When I was a kid, there was a long time when I seemed to repel people. Friends and babysitters would play with me and care for me, but horrible things always seemed to happen to them and I don't remember why."

"That sounds like the opposite of luck, unless you mean bad luck." Kagemaru snarked, but Jaden wasn't finished. It was the worse for me because I knew the reason for his "bad luck", which in fact was not bad luck at all. It was a planned isolation.

"But things are different now. I have friends and teachers who have helped me out here. I may not be the best student, but I've learned a lot, and I wouldn't be half the duelist I am if not for them." Jaden was getting fired up now, his voice rising steadily. "And professor Banner was a part of that! He may have been my enemy, but he gave me this – a card meant to defeat you! I activate **Sabatiel – The Philosopher's Stone**!"

A shimmering orb appeared in Jaden's free hand. It held its shape like a solid object, but had the clarity and surface tension of a liquid. It held all the colors of the rainbow, shimmering a different hue form each and every angle. "You talk of the ultimate fusion, but your plants, powerful though they are, are not the Philosopher's Stone. By paying half of my life points, I can add any fusion card from my deck to my hand." **(Jaden 2000/Jamie 2700/Kagemaru 5200)**

I gazed in awe at the stone. It wasn't the best card in terms of utility, but its visual spectacle was beautiful beyond description. Even Kagemaru's expression softened, knowing that he was witnessing something truly unique and incredible. The knowledge that Banner betrayed him did not seem the bother the immortal, for the man was dead and he thought that he would live forever regardless.

"Everything is ready!" Jaden added Miracle Fusion to his hand, but did not use it yet. "I play **Polymerization** to fuse together Elemental Heroes Ocean and Woodsman in my hand!"

Spires of water from the sea flew skyward while cottonwood trees were uprooted from the eastern forests. In the air, they merged together and formed the totality of nature itself.

"I like to duel for fun, but today I'm dueling for the people of the Earth! And we won't lose to someone who only fights for himself! I summon **Elemental Hero Terra Firma (2500/2000)**!"

The pollution all around us evaporated completely and utterly, as though it had never been. In fact, everything looked cleaner and clearer than before – the ocean was disarmingly transparent, the sand devoid of trash and dirt, and the sky a cloudless blue. The very air I breathed in was clean and full of oxygen, giving me a rush.

In the air stood a muscled warrior in pure white armor. Blue nodes adorned his head and shoulders, and a vermillion crystal stood in the center of his chest. His blank eyes gazed down at Kagemaru's two fusion monsters, which suddenly seemed small in the purified space.

"It is too weak still!" Kagemaru snarled.

I regained my wits just in time. "Don't attack the rafflesia. It has an effect that can stop you and destroy your monster. We can't let that dragon keep giving out counters. You have another monster, right?" I advised quickly.

"I got this." Jaden affirmed. "I normal summon **Elemental Hero Sparkman (1600/1400)** in attack mode!" One of Jaden's old standbys, the blue and gold plated hero appeared in a flash of electricity.

"But he won't be around for long, because I'm gonna use Terra Firma's effect! By sending a hero on my side of the field to the grave, I can boost his attack points by half of that hero's attack points until the end of the turn!"

Sparkman disappeared, and a strike of lightning struck Terra Firma dead on, giving him an electric blue aura. With the boost, Terra Firma was at 3300 attack, more than enough to wipe out the dragon.

"Now, Terra Firma! Give him the old one-two!" Dropping fast from the air, the hero reared back an earthshaking punch, white energy coalescing around his hand.

"Grr…I use Dragostapelia's effect to place a predator counter on Terra Firma!" A bunch of pollen was released from the dragon's wings, latching onto Terra Firma. However, that was not enough to even slow down the white hero, and its punch split the dragon in two.

Kagemaru braced himself, his feet digging into the sand as he took the damage. **(Jaden 2000/Jamie 2700/Kagemaru 4600)**

"Phew, that's one down…" Jaden said, breathing a little hard.

"You've done well, Jaden. I can take out that rafflesia next turn." I said. Any number of my Exceed monsters could do the trick. Castel or Number 101 would be good picks. Jaden and Kagemaru both were in for a few more surprises from me this day.

"Draw." Kagemaru snapped his next card off the top of his deck.

Sonata reappeared by my side. "Do you see it, Jamie? The spirit is beginning to grow displeased with our foe. Despite his words, Kagemaru's not the biggest predator in the jungle."

I strained my vision and saw Starving Venom Fusion Dragon roiling and twisting in the air like a caged beast. It looked like it wanted to do nothing more than devour all three of us like chicken nuggets, no dipping sauce necessary.

"So why don't you know about this spirit? I thought you would." I ask, my curiosity piqued.

"With the power this one has, it may be that it is either immeasurably ancient or from another dimension entirely, but I can't be sure." Sonata shrugged – it would seem that the duel monsters realm is not one seamless universe, but split into different universes and timelines like the human world is. I would suppose that Starving Venom Fusion Dragon came from Yu-Gi-Oh Arc-V's fusion dimension, where characters like Yuri and Serena originate from. But how and why is it here? It all came back to the same question – what exactly did Kagemaru get up to these past few months?

"Well, it's not like it is good for us if that thing gets loose anyways. Kagemaru is just a man, and he's playing my game right now, but I don't see how we're supposed to stop a feral dragon. That is, unless you girls are even bigger badasses than I was aware of." I said dryly.

Sonata preened under the praise. "You know just the right thing to say to stroke a girl's ego, Jamie-kun." At this point, I had given up on stopping her from adding the ridiculous Japanese honorific to my name. "We have plenty of songs left to sing, and not all of them are radio-friendly, if you catch my drift."

"Uh, actually I don't. What are you talking about?"

"Oh, don't worry about it. There won't be any need to demonstrate if you put this guy away soon." She said.

"You know, the fact that you're cute makes that statement scarier than it really has any right to be."

"And again I say that you always know just how to stroke my ego." She flirted.

"You shouldn't waste your breath on that one, girls. Once we're done here, you'll know what it's like to serve a real man." Kagemaru interrupted. He flexed his muscles, presumably to accentuate some sort of virgin/chad comparison between the two of us. I had some musculature, but this guy literally looked like Broly, so I could hardly compete in that department.

"Not satisfied with your little garden's power, Kagemaru? That sounded like a concession to me." I shot back.

"I do not lack for power, boy. Your girls may be have other uses." He replied darkly.

"Okay, gross. You can destroy this guy now, Lancaster." Sonata was disgusted.

"What do you think I've been trying to do? Geez…" I grumbled good-naturedly.

"Jamie, weren't you just getting on my case about dragging things out?" Jaden asked facetiously.

I sighed – now I was the one impaled on his own blade. "Yeah…"

"I'll start by playing the spell card **Predapruning**! This lets me summon a Predaplant from my graveyard, and I choose Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio!" The green, veiny scorpion returned to the field, a hormone of some kind injected into its body via syringe.

"I wonder why he's not using its effect…" Jaden murmured.

"He probably doesn't have a monster in his hand to spare, especially since he's about to summon…" I growled.

"And now I'll normal summon Chlamydosundew!" Kagemaru finished for me. The frilled….is the description really necessary at this point?

"Haha, that little lizard is getting really annoying!" Jaden said, although he did not sound annoyed in the slightest.

"Well, at least you get to hear the pronunciation a couple of times." I commented.

"And I'm sure know what I mean to do since your Terra Firma has a predator counter on it, Jaden…" Kagemaru said. I was wrong in my eariler assumption. Kagemaru was absolutely punishing Jaden at every turn, as if to tell him that he is a boy interfering in a battle between two men. And infuriatingly, he seems to think he can kill me at any point he wishes.

"Don't you know that the Earth itself is my playground? As the apex predator, the imposition of my will…is justice itself! In the jungle, there is no higher law! I fuse your Terra Firma with my Chlamydosundew to summon forth my most powerful monster, a dragon that will devour everything!"

The pollution returned with a vengeance, and suddenly the landscape was returned to its perverse colorings – a hot purple sky, a crimson sea, a black shoreline. "Argh!" Jaden and I suddenly were forced to adjust from clean air to the acrid pollution, causing us to cough and wheeze.

"I will not be a page in someone else's history book! My legend will never die! Come forth, **Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon (3300/2500)**!" The dragon that appeared bore great resemblance to the Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, but it was even more powerful and intimidating than it was before. Red and purple carapaces adorned the dragon's leafy scales like armor. Bright violet flames burst from its back, taking the shape of butterfly wings. Its tail was now an ivory color, with jagged red spikes bursting from either side of it. It dwarfed Kagemaru's Chimera Rafflesia – in fact, it utterly loomed over any other monster that had been summoned thus far.

I knew this creature's power. "Jaden, do you have a good face-down?" I spoke numbly, my nose overwhelmed by the horrible, acidic stench in the air. My stomach was starting to turn, and I was very glad that I hadn't eaten yet today.

"Can that thing be destroyed?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah, but it's gonna…actually, just do it."

"Huh?"

"Just do it!"

"Enough of your planning and scheming! Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon, attack Jaden directly and deplete his remaining life!" The dragon let loose an even more corrosive beam of poison than anything seen yet.

"I don't care how many crazy fusion monsters you use, and I don't care how many of my monsters you steal to make them! We won't let you win! I activate my trap card, **Mirror Force**!" Jaden stood bravely.

"Oh, sure. Fair card. Lots of skill." Kagemaru grumbled. A shining wall of white light suddenly blocked Kagemaru's attack from connecting, and like a wave, the beam was returned to its sender. Both the Greed Venom Fusion Dragon and the Predaplant Chimerarafflesia was blown into a million pieces by the common trap card.

"But both of my monsters have effects when they're destroyed!" Kagemaru said without breaking stride. I knew that these effects would happen, but it was necessary to let them transpire. "When Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon is destroyed, all other monsters on the field are also destroyed!"

Aria's effect protected my monsters from targeting and destruction by battle, not from non-targeting destruction effects, so both Aria and Canon were destroyed by a venomous shockwave. Yeah, there's all sorts of bullshit like this in the modern card game, I can hardly believe it myself.

"And with the effect of Chimerafflesia, I can add back a Polymerization or a "Fusion" spell card to my hand from my deck." Kagemaru groused, quickly rifling through his deck until he found a suitable target. Considering he had already burned his normal summon or the turn, he was just about up shit's creek without a paddle. If I draw the right card next turn, I can strike him down-

"Oh, and I almost forgot about Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon's final special ability. Once every other monster is destroyed, I can banish a level eight or high dark monster from my graveyard to revive it!" Banishing Starving Venom from the graveyard, the upgraded version was brought right back, looking none the worse for wear.

Jaden didn't betray his fear with some inane babble like some would, but he did give me a pleading look all the same – he had nothing left to work with on his field.

"Jaden Yuki, vessel of the Gentle Darkness, know this as you die – heroes always get remembered, but legends never die! Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon attacks directly!" The villain cackled, looking at home on the battlefield, like a raging barbarian.

"Calm down. Activate reverse card, **Enemy Controller**. This will switch you dragon's battle position to defense mode, cancelling your attack." I said clinically. A good duel got me excited, but a fight like this, where the cord of life could be cut at any moment…I felt detached from it, even as my heart pounded all the harder. I was hardly thinking, just processing information and acting on instinct.

The beast was forced to curl up for the time being, buying us a brief reprieve. Jaden let out a low whistle. "Man, and I thought I was lucky. That was the perfect card to have."

"If we destroy it again, he can revive it by banishing his Dragostapelia, since it's level eight." I mutter quickly.

"Yeah, I know. No pressure or anything, but this needs to be the draw of your goddamn life, Jamie." Jaden was normally quite clean as far as swearing was concerned. I could tell the pressure was starting to get to him as well. Considering how close he came to defeat there, I was surprised at how well he was handling things, really

"Right, no pressure." I was so rattled even my banter was starting to suffer. I fought to keep my hand still as I drew my next card. It sounds silly, but it was that intense at the time.

"Alright. Here's what we're gonna do. Strap yourselves in for this one, boys and girls, because things are about to get weird." I could hardly believe my luck.

Kagemaru's brow furrowed even deeper. "What trick will he pull this time?"

"I'll start by playing my own copy of **Card of Sanctity**!" It was a risk, giving Kagemaru a new hand, but now Jaden got some new cards as well. And the cards I drew were enough to piece together a way to win.

"Next, I'll play **Instant Fusion**!" A steaming cup of what appeared to be ramen noodles popped into existence. Winged Kuriboh floated towards it, salivating, but Jaden held him back.

"By paying a thousand life points, I can special summon a level five or lower fusion monster, at the cost of it not being able to attack. It is also destroyed during the end phase." I explained. **(Jaden 2000/Jamie 1700/Kagemaru 4600)**

"Well, that's about as useful as a one-legged man in an asskicking contest." Kagemaru crudely sniped.

"Hate to say it, but he's probably right, Jamie." Jaden shrugged.

"Well, it's pretty damn useful when you mean to summon **Elder Entity Norden (2000/2200)**!" Out of the ramen cup emerged a wizened old man riding the legendary hippocampus, a horse that could ride on water. Yeah, a pretty weird thing to come out of a microwave-able cup, but just roll with it.

"Woah, another surprise! This card isn't nearly as easy on the eyes as your divas, though." Kagemaru noted casually, unaware of my grander play.

"You'll see one of my divas soon, because when Elder Entity Norden is summoned, I can special summona level four or lower monster in my graveyard. However, its effects are negated, and it is banished when Norden leaves the field." Raising his trident, Norden resurrected a pale image of Aria the Melodious Diva, in a strange form between life and death.

For a moment, I weighed the consequences that my next action could bring, but ultimately, I knew I had no choice if I wanted to win this duel. My face soured as though I had just taken a shot of Kraken as I spoke these next words.

"With these two monsters, I construct the overlay network! From the inner walls of a black hole, antimatter forms and destroys all!" I raised a fist in the air, golden energy forming in an aura around me.

"Oh, what the fuck!" Kagemaru swore.

"I overlay Elder Entity Norden and Aria the Melodious Diva to exceed summon **Castel The Skyblaster Musketeer (2000/1500)!"** Completely incongruous with the rest of my deck, the Xyz monster was a red-plumed avian dressed as a cowboy, complete with flat-brimmed hat and musket.

"Wow, this is blowing my mind! How cool!" Jaden gushed.

Kagemaru's right eye twitched. "How…what is the source of your power, you damn monster?!" He snarled. "What is this Exceed summoning?"

"Xyz monsters are different than fusions, although they too require at least two materials. The only commonality needed most of the time is that the materials share the same number of level stars. Since Norden and Aria were both level four, I could conduct an Exceed summon using them as materials." I explained. I wanted to avoid using the black cards if possible, but Kagemaru was pushing me too hard, and I needed to use everything in my arsenal to win.

"No kidding! I wonder if there are any Hero Xyz monsters?" Jaden wondered.

"Hate to break it to ya, but – URK!" I suddenly felt a tight lurch in my stomach, and the ground began to sway as nausea reared its head. I felt like I had just run a hundred miles, such was the extent of this sudden bout of fatigue.

"Eat something bad, boy?" Kagemaru still managed to snark.

" _What is this?"_ I thought frantically.

" _That will happen if you Exceed summon like that without practice, Jamie. It is a technique completely foreign to this dimension, and calling upon the overlay network from here is going to be tremendously exhausting."_ Sonata scolded me.

" _Why didn't you tell me that before?"_ I snapped.

" _You had to do it to win…I didn't want you to hesitate."_ The diva said, contrite. But I was pissed that she held out that piece of information from me, and the duel was starting to fray my nerves a bit.

"It doesn't matter, this has to work!" I summoned all of the focus I could and continued my explanation. "Xyz monsters have powerful effects, but to use them, I must detach its materials, which are stored as overlay units."

"Man, this is really complicated…" Jaden chuckled nervously.

"Then allow me to demonstrate! By detaching two of Castel's materials, I can shuffle one face-up card on the field into its owner's deck. This will allow me to get past your dragon without destroying it!" Castel let off a round, but instead of a musket's ball, a mesh net was fired from the barrel of its gun.

Funnily enough, the net actually was successful at capturing the large dragon. The Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon morphed into a ball of light before returning to Kagemaru's deck, the villain capable of nothing but a shocked look as his field was suddenly cleared.

"And now, Castel, fire off another round directly at him!" My Xyz bird monster peppered Kagemaru with a round of pellets, not fatal yet but sure to sting nonetheless. **(Jaden 2000/Jamie 1700/Kagemaru 2600)**

But the shots barely seemed to harm Kagemaru, such was the durability granted to him by his alliance with the predaplants. But we were wearing him down, little by little. He was well within lethal range by now. Hopefully Jaden drew something killer – he's been a big help so far. Castel wasn't going to be that useful now, due to his lack of effect and low attack points, but he had served his purpose.

"I set a card and end my turn." I turned to Jaden. "You remember what we agreed on, right?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Jaden scratched his head.

"The thing about you not telling anybody else about these cards I'm using." My lips were drawn so thin they could scarcely be seen.

"Oh, that! I gotcha." Jaden gave me a thumbs up. Oh man, I am so screwed. This kid couldn't keep a secret for a day, let alone the rest of our lives like I'm asking him to do. But I was getting ahead of myself – we needed to actually win this fight first, and this game was not over yet.

Kagemaru drew, but was dissatisfied with his cards. "I set a monster and two cards. I end my turn." He said succinctly. I could tell by the sharp way he drew breath that he was still hurting from my last attack, despite how hard he tried to hide it.

Jaden drew his next card, and his eyes lit up. "Alright, I think I can win this right now, Jamie!" He grinned boyishly.

"Awesome!" I laughed wildly. "Not to jinx it, but I think we're in the clear!"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Yubel POV)

"I have gathered enough energy." Yubel said to their group of companions. "Now, I can help the king achieve victory against his enemies."

"Erm, I'm not sure that will be necessary. It appears the boy in red has drawn a useful card." Mister Volcano noted awkwardly. He and Blade Knight were watching the orb intently, following every move of the game. Jinzo was still huddled in the corner while Chaos Sorcerer had gotten up to take a piss.

"No, I need to be by my king's side in this battle. I must be! He still does not realize that the lion is his true enemy. And with this usurper Kagemaru on the scene as well….I can quite literally kill two birds with one stone here, and then we are that much closer to placing Jaden on the throne." Yubel was talking more to themselves than to Mister Volcano.

Blade Knight turned intently to Yubel – even with his face covered, his gaze still seemed to bore into Yubel. Although he said nothing, the look was enough to garner a response from Yubel. "I assure you, I will do nothing to endanger the terms of our agreement, sir knight." Yubel said with sickening sweetness.

"Don't be reckless." Was all the knight said before turning his attention back to the crystal. None of the others would dare to speak to Yubel with such bluntness, but the knight had an unknown hold over the demon. But there wasn't a force in the universe that could contain Yubel's bloodlust in that moment.

"Yes, yes, of course. Now then, I will attempt to link more fully. Jaden, we will finally be as one!" They cackled.

XxXxXxXxXxXxxXxxXxXxXXxXxXx

(Jamie Lancaster (My) POV)

"Do it, Jaden! Let's end this here and now!" I cheered my friend on.

"Alright! First, I'll play…" Jaden's upbeat, hopeful voice trailed off horribly, into some deep dark place. He dropped his cards into the sand, the small sounds they made as they reached the ground seeming to echo in my ears.

"Wha…what's going on? Something…is happening to me!" Jaden clutched the side his temples, overcome with a splitting headache.

I knew I jinxed it!

Jaden fell to his knees, one hand pressed against his forehead while the other scrabbled at the ground frantically. Kagemaru looked between him and I with wide eyes and a nonplussed expression, and I'm sure that expression was mirrored on my own face. What in the sweet fuck is going on here?!

I rushed to my friend's side. "Jaden, what's going on? Are you alright?!"

Suddenly, his movements stilled. His fingers quit scratching at the sand, and he flexed them as though those muscles had simply fallen asleep. Smoothly and sinuously, the red-clad boy rose to his feet. He removed his hand from his forehead and let it rest at his side.

"What is the meaning of this performance, boy?! If you think that this is enough to unsettle me, you are sadly mistaken!" Kagemaru blustered, and I was sure those words were meant to mask his fear and uncertainty.

 **"Performance…no. The real performer here is you, Kagemaru. That youthful body is naught but a costume that hides your frail and old soul. Your protest against death is as futile as it is unseemly. Jaden and I are two halves of one whole, we're meant to be together. It is as natural as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. It is a thing of beauty!"**

Suddenly, black waves of energy erupted volcanically from Jaden's body, sending me flying near the water's edge. I landed roughly on my side, the wind knocked out of me. My Obelisk Blue jacket was wet and covered with sand on one side, and cuts were blooming inside my right palm.

Jaden opened his eyes. Far from their usual dark brown, his irises were heterochromatic – bright, acidic blue in the left eye, burning orange in the right.

I felt a thrill of fear shoot through me like a current of electricity. There was no denying who this was. "No, nonononononono. Not you. Anybody but fucking you!"

Golden and black energy surrounded Jaden's body – it was difficult to even look at him, so bright was this aura.

Yubel looked upon me with utter hatred. Then, their expression melted into insane laughter – the two-toned cackling of a spoiled little girl and a grown man overlaid on top of each other.

"This is impossible! Just who or what are you?" Kagemaru questioned in shock. His words could barely be heard over the laughter, which echoed across the beach.

 **"Hehehehehehe, hahahaha, ha, hehe, hee, ha. You want to know ho I am? I am…simply a loyal servant."** Yubel laughed. " **And I am here to destroy my king's enemies!"**

Quickly picking up Jaden's cards, Yubel made their move. **"I activate Miracle Fusion! This card allows me to fuse heroes from the graveyard by banishing them!"**

A portal of light appeared in the sky as Yubel spread their arms. "By banishing the Flame Wingman and Sparkman from the grave, I can summon **Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman (2500/2100)**!"

A beam of light shot down from the sky, boring into the sand. From the blinding rays emerged a winged hero clad in luminescent white armor, its appearance angelic and vengeful.

 **"Aren't the hero monsters just amazing? Truly, they befit a king. For each hero monster in the graveyard, Shining Flare Wingman gains 300 attack points. With six in the grave, that puts my monster's attack points at 4300!"**

Kagemaru and I were still in shock. I hoped that Yubel was here to defeat Kagemaru, and would forget about me until he was taken down. Perhaps while Yubel was distracted with him, I could backstab them and take down both them and Kagemaru in one fell swoop. Of course, I'm sure that Kagemaru was thinking the same thing in regards to me. The situation was so much more perilous now – Yubel was a complete wild card that I never could have accounted for, especially this early. What happened next all depended on Yubel's whim.

At the vicious glare they gave me, I knew what their whim was. "I'll attack your pitiful Xyz monster with Shining Flare Wingman!" The angelic hero turned towards my field and rose into the air.

"Oh, you stupid bitch!" I was cursing rather a lot today, although the circumstances were such that this was understandable. "Jaden and I could barely keep up with Kagemaru while we were working together! You won't have a damn chance against him without me!"

The Wingman continued to close in on my Castel _._ **"Ha! I am not concerned about this smirking worm. I mean to kill you both here and now!"**

"Smirking worm, am I? How dare you dismiss me, Kagemaru the Immortal!" The long-haired barbarian bellowed. "I am a predator, not a bystander! If you wish to destroy me, then face me head on!"

Hmm, this could actually prove favorable. It was the opportunity that was always available for one combatant in a three-way battle – simply stay back and allow the other two hostiles to wear each other down before swooping in on the survivor. Kagemaru fancied himself an apex predator, but I had no problems being a scavenger in this situation.

Sadly, Yubel was not to be deterred. They seemed to have a burning hatred of me for some reason, and I couldn't fathom why, beyond the usual antipathy Yubel held towards all of Jaden's friends. Can't say I was particularly fond of Yubel either, especially in this moment. But there was no time to dwell on the matter – the Wingman was nearly upon me!

"I activate my trap card, **Negate Attack**!" A violet shield stopped the Shining Flare Wingman's attack and ended the battle phase, sending it back to Yubel's side of the field.

 **"A lucky break, lion. Next time, I'll take your head."** Yubel hissed.

"What's your problem with me? I've never done anything to harm Jaden if that's what you're getting your panties in a twist about." I fired. There was no reason to feign ignorance – Yubel knew all about me already, somehow. Kagemaru took a few steps forward to better hear Yubel's forthcoming response.

 **"You are an aberration of nature, lion. You aren't supposed to exist here, and in your doing so, you displaced the soul of Jamie Lancaster from his body. For reasons I cannot fathom, the Gentle Darkness has seen fit to bring you to this realm, and a portion of its power rests within you. That power rightly belongs to Jaden Yuki, the Supreme King of Darkness! As long as you continue to breathe, our king's legitimacy is threatened, and the balance of the cosmos itself is thrown off its axis."** Yubel explained with vitriol.

"What? No way…the Gentle Darkness really brought me here? Why? Why me? There must be people who are more deserving, or more worthy in some way." I muttered, gazing upon my palms. They didn't look any different than they had before – was there really dark power coursing through my veins, the same power that Jaden has? No, it must be impossible.

 **"It doesn't matter why. One does not question the existence of mud tracked within one's home – it is simply cleaned up. And that is what I'm going to do now, because your existence is causing everything to unravel. You're ruining everything!"** Yubel complained like a child.

They then looked to Kagemaru, who was nodding as though his suspicions were being confirmed. **"That is why this man was able to manifest the Predaplants, and all host of different cards as well – it is because the dark power within you is weakening the walls between dimensions. Sufficiently powerful duelists can access these tears in reality, and they will only grow weaker over time. That is why you cannot exist!"** Yubel's voice grew into a roar.

"That can't be true! I'm just a guy! Why would the Gentle Darkness bring me here if my very existence harms the universe?" I asked what I thought to be an astute question.

 **"I do not know. Like I said before, I am just a loyal servant who wishes to protect my king. Someone with your power and spirit will never submit to the king's rule, so you must die. It's that simple!"**

"Crazy bitch, did you ever consider that Jaden doesn't want to be king of anything?! He's just a kid who likes to play a card game! He doesn't want anything to do with you, that's why he sent you off into space in the first place!" My anger was peaking.

 **"Silence! I'll kill you for that, lion!"**

"You were gonna kill me anyways, so it's not like I can really dig myself deeper, can I?" I shot back.

"Calm down, both of you. It is my turn." Unlike the two of us, Kagemaru was keeping a cool head. I had to hand it to him, the man was nothing if not adaptable. "I do not know where you have come from, Yubel, but I know that you are no friend of mine. So I will duel as I always have! I draw."

"First, I flip summon my **Predaplant Squid Drosera (800/400)**!" A small tree with many venus flytraps for leaves sprouted from the ground, snapping fiercely at us both. "Then, I shall summon **Predaplant Flytrap (400/800)** in attack mode!" The next creature was notable for how…unimpressive it looked. It was just a little weed, albeit one with fangs growing from its leaves. What could he do with this?

"This monster may look weak, but it is just what I need in this situation. You see, my flytrap can place a predator counter on a monster once per turn, and I think I'll put one on that Shining Flare Wingman!" A little green cocklebur shot from the Flytrap's mouth and attached itself to one of the hero's wings, marring its aesthetic appeal significantly.

" **Annoying parasite…"** Yubel sneered, and I happened to agree. At least there was something we had in common!

"You'll recall that any monster with a predator counter on it not only becomes a dark monster, but has its star level reduced to one. This effect works well with my Flytrap's ability. You see, it can immediately destroy any monster it attacks that has a lower level than it. And my Flytrap is level two!" Kagemaru's plants had no shortage of abilities to circumvent a difference in attack points. There was an irony in it, that the glorious, radiant hero would be taken down by a weed.

But such was the case, and Yubel did not activate their face-down against the flytrap. It launched itself at the Shining Flare Wingman, and suddenly, its mouth expanded large enough to swallow the warrior up whole. In a gruesome display, the plant gobbled up the Shining Flare Wingman, extinguishing its light for good.

"And now, my Squid Drosera will attack directly!" The bigger plant extended its vines, each of them snapping at Jaden's body. **(Yubel/1200/Jamie 1700/Kagemaru 2600)**

" **Heheheh…that felt good. I must say, the aesthetics of the predaplants are truly a feast for the eyes. The organic turned demonic…I can resonate with that. I will enjoy using your cards in the future."** Yubel laughed.

Kagemaru was stoic. "That won't happen with a performance like that. The Predaplants and I have a lifetime contract, which is to say a perpetual one."

"We get it, you want to become immortal. Isn't there anything else to you? Don't have hobbies, a family, some obscure interest or anything?" I snarked, his single-minded focus beginning to unnerve me.

"Speaking of cards changing hands, those Divas will be a most welcome foundation to my harem, lion." Kagemaru said lecherously. My eyes widened. "That's right, I will take your place as the harem protagonist, and my collection of smoking hot babes will span generations and continents!"

"Take my place…there's no place to take." I felt energy coursing within me. "because I…AM NOT…A HAREM PROTAGONIST!" I began my turn, and the card I drew was practically glowing.

Suddenly, I found myself confronted with a crossroads. I could attack Kagemaru and get rid of his potential fusion materials, but the damage wouldn't be enough to finish him. I could attack Yubel, who had no monsters on the field, but an unknown face-down which could spell the end for me. Furthermore, if I attacked her, I could seriously harm or even kill Jaden, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did that. Yubel's words were already planting seeds of doubt anew in my mind.

" _But if my attack goes through, then Yubel will at least be driven off for now…"_ I thought hurriedly. The urgency that Yubel felt towards killing me was certainly influencing my decision – I figured that once it passed to their turn again, Yubel would probably try and take me out again. Castel's gun was at the ready, pointed between Kagemaru and Yubel so that the beast could pivot to either one of them if it wished.

"Shit, there's no right answer…but I think I'm gonna attack Kagemaru, he's the more pressing threat, and this way I won't have to worry about hurting Jaden right away." I sighed and began my turn in earnest.

"I set a monster. Then, I'll…attack the Predaplant Flytrap with Castel!" I finally decided. The red-feathered winged beast took aim at Kagemaru's plant and blew it away. Kagemaru took a tumble as well, and it seemed that the duel was finally beginning to wear on him a bit, as I saw a bruise raise on his pectoral. **(Yubel 1200/Jamie 1700/Kagemaru 1000)**

"Urgh…Kagemaru slowly righted himself. "I see…so you were too afraid to risk hurting your friend…that decision may cost you."

"Any decision has consequences. This decision had the consequence of knocking on your ass, so I took it." I said, tired of his poisonous words. "I end my turn."

"Draw." Kagemaru said unsteadily, his next card bringing a tight smile to his lips. "Heh…I set a monster, then I'll switch my Squid Drosera to defense mode and set a card face-down. I end my turn."

" **Draw."** Yubel said airily. **"And now, it is time for both of you to fall. In one stroke. The universe will be set aright this day, and Jaden will take his rightful place as king of all realms!"**

"It all makes sense now…that twisted spiritual energy, those bizarre eyes, and now all this talk of different realms…are you a duel spirit?" Kagemaru asked, still breathing heavily.

Yubel cackled loudly, causing my arm hairs to stand on end. They gazed at us both cruelly, taking pleasure in our uncertainty and fear. **"Who cares? I don't have to tell you anything because as soon as I'm finished with you, you're going to-"**

" _Disappear."_ Yubel's tirade was suddenly cut by an ethereal voice, a voice unmistakably belonging to Jaden.

" **What? No, my king! Can't you see I was about to kill them both!"** Yubel pleaded, as if the knowledge that I was about to die would please Jaden. **"Everything would be fine if you just left it to me!"**

" _Get out of my head, I don't need you!"_ Jaden's body began to thrash around again as he fought to regain control of his own mind. " _This is my duel!"_

Strangely enough, Yubel seemed to come to some sort of revelation, and suddenly stopped resisting entirely. " **I see, the timing is not right…I will leave you for now then, my love. But I assure you, any distance between us is only temporary…"**

A weight in the air lifted, and although I had no concrete way of knowing, there was no doubt in my mind that Yubel had left us…for now, at least. Sure enough, I looked over at Jaden and his eyes were brown again, although he looked far the worse for wear. His skin was pale and pallid, a cold sweat on his brow. His usually buoyant expression was gone, replaced with a sullen fear. His gaze was unfocused, uncertain, and he looked like he might be sick soon. But Jaden was back, and that made things quite a bit simpler.

"Man, I feel like I just got run over by a truck…what just happened?" Jaden mumbled tiredly. "Who was that? That voice sounded familiar…"

Uh-oh. Looks like Atticus isn't the only one who is having his memories fucked with. I had no idea that Yubel had this mental link with Jaden, especially this early! The wheels were starting to come off the wagon here, I needed to be more adaptable. I was only a few steps from death there, and it was only Jaden's timely resistance that saved me – I certainly couldn't have fought the both of them off forever.

Was my existing here really the cause of all this? No, there's no time to wallow in unanswerable questions – the finish line is only a few steps away!

"Jaden," I said as gently as possible, "Can you still continue? It's your turn."

Jaden's eyes whirred to his hand. He had gripped one of his cards so hard that it bent, ruining its collectors value. Hopefully it was a common. Adam was probably having conniptions wherever he was.

"Yeah…I gotta go on just a little longer." Jaden did his best to stand straight, and I suddenly was reminded of Joey Wheeler's duel against Marik in the Battle City Finals. Here's hoping for a different result this time around. Jaden put a little too much weight on his right leg and hissed sharply.

"How…how can you still persist?" Kagemaru whispered, shocked at Jaden's determination.

"Because that's what heroes do."

I heard the Melodious Divas appearing all around me, warming up their voices for a final chorus. It was ridiculous and stupid and cheesy, but god damn it, their song choice was actually appropriate this time around.

" _~Where have all the good men gone, and where are all the gods~"_

" _~Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?~"_

" _~Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?~"_

" _~Late at night, I toss and I turn, and I dream of what I neeeeeed~"_

Despite his weakened state, Jaden still managed to crack a smile. "Haha, your duel spirits are funny."

Kagemaru bared his teeth in anger. "I won't lose to such cartoonish fools!" He roared, unleashing a torrent of violent duel energy.

We each crossed our arms in front of our faces and dug in our heels, refusing to be intimidated by lights and thunder. "You know what? Fuck it, I'm a cartoonish fool. But that's way better than being a selfish, heartless monster like you!"

"Nice speech, but I think I'm gonna pass out if I don't make my move soon. Can I use your monster for something?" Jaden asked with uncharacteristic politeness.

"Do it!" I said as my Divas broke out into the chorus.

" _~I NEED A HERO, I'M HOLDIN' OUT FOR A HERO 'TILL THE END OF THE NIGHT~"_

"Okay, here we go then!" Jaden said with fire in his eyes. "I play the spell **Fusion Recovery** to bring back Polymerization and a fusion material from the graveyard!"

Jaden quickly grabbed the two cards he needed. "Now, I'll fuse Jamie's Castel the Skyblaster Musketeer with the Elemental Hero Avian in my hand!"

Intense winds began to pick up, turning the sea an iron grey and blowing away the horrible stench Kagemaru's monsters left in the air.

"Fusion summon! **Elemental Hero Great Tornado (2800/2200)**!"

"~AND HE'S GOTTA BE STRONG AND HE'S GOTTA BE FAST AND HE'S GOTTA BE FRESH FROM THE FIGHT~"

Jaden's final hero emerged in a whirlwind, a dark brown cloak flapping furiously in the gales. He was tall and clad in verdant greed armor. "When this card is fusion summoned, I can halve the attack and defense of all your monsters!" Jaden cried, and Kagemaru's Squid Drosera suddenly shrunk in size.

"Attack now!" I commanded, and Jaden assented, figuring I had some way around Kagemaru's trap card. The hero let out a mighty blast of wind, much like Chumley does after eating too many burritos. But what this gale lacked in stench it made up for with sharpness and speed.

"Damn you! I won't go down like this! Activate reverse card, **Chaos Burst**! By sacrificing my Squid Drosera, I can destroy your attacking monster and inflict 1000 points of damage to you! It's over!" Kagemaru's plant disappeared, and in its place a stream of lave shot up from the ground, heading straight for the Great Tornado!"

"Jamie, do it now!" Jaden yelled over the wind.

"I got it! I chain my counter trap, **Trap Jammer**!" Hardly any need to explain what that card does, eh? A barrier was erected between Great Tornado and the magma flow, the lave dripping harmlessly away. Great Tornado flew around the shield and redirected itself to Kagemaru, who was now defenseless.

There was a horrible, long moment when I thought our foe might have another trick up his sleeve, but it seems he was finally exhausted. The attack struck true, and Kagemaru finally tasted defeat. **(Jaden 1200/Jamie 1700/Kagemaru 0)**

"No! How can this be?!" Kagemaru roared in futile rage.

"Your life points hit zero first. That's how. Your twisted scheme ends here. Thanks for playing!" I said viciously.

To my surprise, Kagemaru let out a bitter chuckle. "Such a clever little bastard you are, Lancaster. But what one-liner do you have in response to this?"

He slammed his palm upon the ground, his hand sinking into the sand. A pale aura fired up around him, his duel energy still alive with light despite his defeat.

"I won't gain control of the Sacred Beasts, it's true, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you keep them! Cards of such power do not belong in the hands of men like Sheppard and Kaiba!" He growled.

Jaden fell to one knee, utterly depleted from the tribulations the duel put him through. "How are you gonna take em? We still have our keys!"

"I only needed the keys to access the Beasts' full power, for the power of immortality. The Predaplants full power has granted me more than enough to do this!" Kagemaru declared spitefully.

The island began to shake violently, sending me tumbling ungracefully to the sand. From far away, I saw three separate pillars of light shoot up form the ground, one a dark blue, one a bright red, and one a burning yellow. It didn't take long to figure out what each color correlated to.

The three beams shot off in different directions – the yellow to the north, the red to the west, and the blue to the east. They were incredibly fast, disappearing over the horizon after only a few seconds. Kagemaru collapsed on the ground, a contented look on his face. I ran over to him with a furious expression on my face.

"What did you just do? Where did you send the Sacred Beasts?" I demanded, only half-expecting any serious answer.

He looked at me with facetious pity. "No idea. I simply used the last of my power to send them to random locations. They could be anywhere, anywhere at all on this planet."

"No! You lie! Tell me where they are right now!" Even as the words left my mouth, I realized how absurd my threats were. The man was already dying – what could I realistically threaten him with?

He seemed to recognize this as well, and laughed. "You are a fool, and you will never see the Sacred Beasts again. Enjoy your victory, oh great Lion of Obelisk!"

With that, he began to crumble into nothingness, much like Professor Banner did all of those…weeks ago? Had it really only been weeks? But it had seemed much longer. And here I thought we might have a moment of peace or two before the next enemy! Clearly I was wrong, as I had been about so many other things.

Kagemaru glared at me with spite and rage until the very end, when his body, the body that sought immortality so fervently, had finally died and faded away. And again I wondered what my purpose was, and if I ever made any of the right moves to begin with.


	27. Peace and Pieces

Chapter 27: Peace and Pieces

(Jamie Lancaster (My) POV)

Jaden fell onto his back, catching his breath while staring at the midday sky. I walked over to the unconscious Erin, trying to muster up the strength to carry her. Not that she was heavy, she would kill me if I said that, but she was muscled, and muscle weighs more than fat, right? It was more that I was exhausted than anything.

I walked silently past Jaden, who wore a soft smile. "Man, I can't believe we won. That duel was a lot of fun!"

I smiled tightly. "I can't believe it either. Now, one more time, you agree not to tell anybody about my Melodious deck, right?"

"Yeah, yeah." Jaden said casually. "But you gotta tell about that weird black card you played! It was called an Exceed monster, right?"

I paused. "I will, sometime soon. They're really interesting, and there's a lot of strong ones." I neglected to mention the existence of Synchros or Pendulum monsters for now – I didn't even have any of those, so I couldn't demonstrate even if I wanted to. Besides, they were hard to explain without a visual aid.

"An Exceed monster, huh?" A familiar contralto said from behind me. Oh crapbaskets. I turned around and saw Erin standing tall, in seemingly perfect health. Her dark blue eyes shone with vindication.

"Oh, hi Erin." I said meekly.

She smirked, walking closer until she was face-to-face with me. "Hi. I see you two managed to defeat that Kagemaru guy. Do you mind if I see how you did it?" She gestured towards my duel disk, which was still attached to my arm.

"Why did you decide to fight him alone? You knew he was the leader, and you did it anyways!" I tried to change the subject, and to be fair, it was a subject I was curious about. And by curious I mean furious.

She rolled her eyes, seeming to expect this question. "Yeah, it was dumb, I'll admit it. But I wanted to get in the trenches, to fight alongside you all as an equal. And you should have seen them, Jamie, he had seven goons with him, and one of them was the most smug, misogynist piece of shit I've ever laid eyes upon." Once she started talking, the words starting pouring out faster and faster as her temper got up. It was really quite cute. But then her words sank in.

"Seven goons? What did they look like?" That sounded like way too many goons. There should have only been three.

She described their appearance, and it all started to come together. Abidos, Titan, and the Dark Scorpions. I counted the Dark Scorpions as one instead of five, since they were all attached at the hip anyways. I hope that the others managed to take care of them. I had no worries about Abidos or the Scorpions, but Titan was a vicious bastard with a serpent's tongue. I hoped Alexis had a crack at him – she was well-suited to ignoring his mind games and getting the job done. Bastion would be another good man for the task. Basically anyone but Zane would be fine – he was a good friend and a worthy opponent, but I never forgot that the man had demons hidden away, and if these demons ever saw the light of day – well, that would be bad.

"Do you remember where they were going?" I asked quickly.

"Two to Obelisk Blue and one towards Ra Yellow. I assume Bastion, Rhodes, and the Kaiser were their opponents since you two are obviously right here. By the way, are you alright, Jaden?" She always had a soft spot for him – they might have made a good couple if not for Jaden's asexuality.

"Kagemaru put him through the wringer back there. It was a tough fight, but he did great." I smiled, glad that I didn't have to lie about that. Jaden really was a pretty incredible duelist, though he was a lucky bastard as well. But then again, that's basically a distinction without a difference.

"Hey, Erin!" Jaden called up from the ground. "I don't think I've ever been this tired."

"Just work out with me sometime, it'll adjust your standards." She said playfully, taking a seat next to the Slifer. I took a seat as well, enjoying the sound of waves crashing against the coast. The adrenaline was beginning to wear down, but I still felt so alive, every sound in nature ringing clearly in my ears. And yet, the thought of the battles ahead sobered me more than I would care to admit.

"So, you're looking well." I said blandly to Erin, the question evident in my tone.

"The energy Kagemaru absorbed from me must have come back when he, uh, died." She finished awkwardly.

"It's fine. We had to do it. Wasn't either of our firsts." It surprised me that Jaden said those words. Wouldn't have expected it from him. "We just had to. I tried to reason with him, but it wasn't getting anywhere. The guy was convinced that he was a predator in the jungle and we were his prey. So we flipped the script."

"Though he got the last laugh." I added. "These keys might as well be paperweights now, since the beasts are scattered across the planet. But he said that he couldn't use their power to grant himself immortality, so it would seem that they were released in a weakened or semi-sealed state."

As if on cue, Jaden and I took off our necklaces and the keys attached to them for the first time all term. It felt like a weight lifted, and I was glad to have it off. What a waste it all was – the beasts were out of our possession, and they could be literally anywhere on Earth! Jaden idly twirled the pendant around his index finger as I brooded.

"You know who's going to be pissed about this? Seto Kaiba." I mused, the famous name attracting Erin and Jaden's attention.

"Why would he be mad? We beat back the enemies threatening the island." Jaden responded.

"He tends to get possessive over rare and powerful cards, and between you and me, he's really never been completely right in the head…I bet he'll have people scouring every corner of the globe to get those beasts back." I wondered how this would affect Bastion and my summer internship prospects. There was only one way to find out. It was important that none of us were the ones to tell him of this – Kaiba seemed the type to kill the messenger.

I sat up straight, averting my eyes form the coast. I felt a bit sore all over. "We should inform the Headmaster of this." Contrary to what his name would suggest, Sheppard makes a fine scapegoat.

"Yeah, I suppose." Erin shrugged. "Oh, and by the way –" She grabbed my arm. "I didn't forget. Show me those cards, you weasel."

"Awwwwwwwww…..shit. Well, can't blame a guy for trying, eh?" There was no choice. She was on to me, and had sniffing the trail for months. Besides, I think she'll be able to keep a secret better than Jaden. Call it a wild guess. I showed her my deck. I said DECK, you perverts! As in deck of cards.

Erin rolled her eyes when she saw the Melodious Divas. Before she could shoot off a snarky remark, I said, "I've heard all the jokes before. Just read the effects and tell me the cards are bad." No, I wasn't triggered at all, why do you ask?

She handed me the cards back. "I wasn't going to joke about them, they look like really powerful cards. I'm just surprised that this what you were being so secretive about all this time! C'mon Lancaster, I wasn't gonna think any worse of you just because you duel with K-Pop girls." She said casually.

"But where did you get them?" She asked with a rather fetching smirk. Jaden looked between the two of us like a confused puppy.

"Just picked them up along the way." I answered cryptically, and her smile vanished.

"This old song and dance again, huh?" she said drolly.

"I'm allowed to have some privacy." I replied, placing my deck back into its box. She was far too nosy for her own good, and I did not appreciate my life being treated like some sort of mystery to be solved. " _Although the circumstances I was brought here in are still a bit of a mystery…"_ I thought. "Maybe I'll tell you if you buy me a drink sometime." I added so as not to seem completely cold.

"Yeah right, you'll just take the drink and proceed to not tell me anything anyways. I've pulled that trick plenty of times myself. But maybe I'll take you up on that offer all the same." She smiled, and my annoyance was forgotten…for now.

"Let's go." She and I stood while Jaden remained on the ground.

"Hey, not to be that guy, but could you guys carry me back to the red dorm? I think I'm gonna sleep for like 20 hours." Considering what a ball of energy he usually was, this was quite the statement.

Without preamble, Erin slung Jaden over her shoulders like a sack of potatoes, and it was only then I noticed just how defined her shoulders and traps were. "I'll take him to naptime. You should go see how the others fare."

I nodded tersely and made to leave before I heard her say, "And Jamie? I'm sorry about biting off more than I can chew earlier. If only I had been stronger…"

"It's fine." I said, a little worried. The phrase "If I only I had been stronger" usually held ill tidings. "Challenging yourself is how you get better. But we should work together. It's what friends do. And there will be many fights to come, so it's important we stand together." A cheesy statement, but one I think she needed to hear.

She nodded and walked away, Jaden's weight hardly even slowing her down. Alright, time to go.

…Wait!

I swiveled around to where Kagemaru had been. Buried a little ways into the sand was a duel disk, with cards still in the deck slot! The Predaplants were right there for the taking!

"Sorry Sonata, but I might cheat on you a little bit. It's better to keep these cards in our hands than the bad guys, right?" I asked facetiously as I ran over to the disk.

"I'm still your duel spirit, regardless of what deck you're playing. And no, I don't appreciate you using other cards! We Melodious Divas are your aces!" She pouted.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, I won't use them. Was just a joke anyways." I mainly said that to placate her. "But he might have some useful staples in there. And like I said, we're not letting Yubel or whatever crazy ass demon that's out there get their hands on those cards."

Right before I was able to grab the duel disk, it suddenly disappeared in a dark purple flash. I heard the sound of flapping wings, and I turned around to see a gigantic one-eyed bat staring right back at me, the duel disk ensconced safely in its claws.

"Holy shit," I blurted out before I could stop myself, practically leaping back from the eldritch creature. "Sonata, please kill that thing. Whatever it is, I'll be seeing it in my nightmares."

"Sure thing." Sonata appeared above me, charging a sonic wave of energy between cupped hands. "Cover your ears."

I did as she bid, but the bat was not content to sit idle. Already, I could see a dark portal forming behind it. Sonata unleashed the blast, and the screeching sound still hurt my blocked eardrums.

However, she was too late. The bat had already escaped, and the cards with it. "Shit! Is there any way we can track him?" I asked hastily.

She shook her head. "No, but I can go to the spirit realm and alert everyone I can. There will be eyes and ears out for a Meda Bat or the Predaplants 24-7-365."

"I'll take any help you can offer and be thankful for it. We can't let these people have cards that strong. Please, when you've finished gathering contacts, return and we'll speak further." I said with a sigh, the day's events starting to wear on me. The spirit nodded tacitly and faded from my vision, her mission clear.

With a weary expression, I made my way inland, towards the main academy building.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

(Alexis Rhodes POV)

She awoke to a knock on the door.

Well, she was already awake, too fired up to really sleep. But she was resting in bed with her eyes closed, planning on taking a short nap. The sight of the man who had looked just like Yugi Moto standing amongst the pharaohs had sent her brain down a rabbit hole. When she saw the pendant around his neck, it all came together.

"So it was true all along…the Millennium Items really did hold dark powers. And to think they were here among us only ten years ago…to think while I was six years old, items with dark powers were in the hands of mankind!"

But it really did make sense. She still had the VHS recordings of the Battle City finals somewhere in her parent's attic – there was something odd about many of the duelists in that tournament. The only ones that seemed normal was Joey Wheeler, Mai Valentine, and Seto Kaiba, to the extent that the latter could be considered normal – the rest all spoke in ominous threats and mysticism-riddled monologue. Much of the speech between the duelists was rumored to be cut from the television broadcasts, but some of it could not be missed.

But there was no time to continue this train of thought, as she had to answer the door. "This better be good." She grumbled, her hair a mess and face devoid of any makeup.

In the doorway was Atticus Rhodes, wearing an old Obelisk Blue uniform and a big grin. "Is this good enough for ya?" He asked facetiously.

Her wide eyes were already beginning to well up. "How?" She asked in a voice barely above a whisper. How could this miracle be possible? Nothing the doctors could do was working, his condition was showing no signs of improvement, no matter how hard she hoped and prayed…what changed?

Overcome with emotion, she embraced her dear brother tightly, as he did her. "It's alright, lex." Atticus said softly into her hair. "I'm alright. Everything's gonna be alright."

It was only over Atticus' shoulder that Alexis saw Zane standing somewhat awkwardly in the hallway. His expression was intense and brooding, but he when he met her eyes the Kaiser put on a forced smile.

"And you've got Zane to thank for it. He defeated a Shadow Rider, the one who locked my memories away. Once he won, they all came flooding back. I remember it all now." Atticus said cheerily. "Your favorite big bro is back in action, baby!"

Alexis looked to Zane, needing one last affirmation that it was true. He nodded. "It was the same man who kidnapped you at the beginning of the school year." He said thickly.

"Oh…" Alexis let go of her brother and took a step back. "I see." Immediately, she remembered the masked man's visage. Titan, that was his name. She and Zane had been friends for as far back as she could remember, and she knew if someone put his life in danger that she wouldn't be quick to show mercy. And considering the fact that they were most likely in a shadow duel…and it wasn't hard to imagine what happened to the Shadow Rider.

"Thank you, Zane. Truly, thank you." She hugged him as well. To her surprise though, Zane seemed mentally preoccupied with something. She thought he would have been happier to see his best friend alive and whole, especially considering that he was the one who made it possible in the first place. But she did not dwell on these thoughts for long, such was her happiness at seeing Atticus again.

"I've got a bit of a funny story to tell you both as well. Come on, there's so much to catch up on…" The three old friends took a seat and it was as if only a day had past since she had last seen Atticus.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Yubel POV)

Yubel was suddenly back in the dark dimension, sitting amongst the spirits in her employ. Their eyes, which had been rolled in the back of her head, rolled forward again. Their limbs were momentarily asleep, and they hissed as pins and needles greeted their re-awakening.

The first voice that greeted Yubel upon their return was the irritated, metallic tone of Blade Knight. "And what was the point of that, exactly? Your little excursion did nothing to further our position. Kagemaru may be dead, but it was no thanks to you. And the lion still lives and knows of your presence! So what did we gain?"

There was dead silence in response to the knight's tirade. No one else present would have dared speak to Yubel in such a way, least of all Jinzo, whose gaze flashed between Yubel and the knight as he silently begged for someone else to be punished for a change.

But the punishment did not come this time. Yubel settled for glaring indolently at the armored swordsman. "I wouldn't expect you, _of all people_ , to understand, but I had to be close to him. To be inside of him." They said with a shudder.

"Bah! What a joke! Do not call me unless there is a serious move to be made, Yubel. We have a deal!" Blade Knight pointed a finger angrily.

"And you will receive everything you wish and more, in good time. Just be patient, my friend." Yubel said unctuously. For some reason, she cared about being in the knight's good graces.

Wordlessly, Blade Knight turned about-face and left the room swiftly, his armor clanging noisily down the way.

Mister Volcano let out a whistle. "Short fuse on that one. But it makes sense when you consider the fact that it's his-"

"Yes, yes, we know." Chaos Sorcerer said impatiently. "If he bothered to stick around, he would know that this wasn't a total loss."

By his side appeared the Meda Bat, the Predaplant deck safely in its claws. Obediently, it dropped the cards in the jester's outstretched hand. Chaos Sorcerer gave the beast a single nod before the bat vanished in the same dark portal in which it came.

Yubel greedily eyed the deck, their three eyes wide. The conflict with Blade Knight momentarily forgotten, they said, "Good…I see you were able to recover it under the lion's nose."

"Not quite. He had the same idea we did, but he was a bit too slow on the draw. My bat would have been reduced to a fine pink mist if it stuck around for a few seconds longer. His diva tried to blast it with some sort of sonic wave, but obviously she wasn't fast enough. He'll know we have the cards." Chaos Sorcerer reported clinically.

"It matters little. Give those to me now." Yubel commanded, and immediately, the wizard did so. Yubel let out a low chuckle, having just seen firsthand what the deck can do. "I do believe that these cards can do wonders in the right hands. We are adjourned for the time being – I require time to learn the true power of these cards."

Yubel gazed upon the now-empty crystal ball at the center of the table. "Pitiful lion, mindlessly following the meta. His knowledge is great, but he still lacks understanding of love, and the bond between a duelist and his cards. He claims to act in defense of those he calls friends, but he does not of love like I do. And love will always find a way."

The spirits melted back into the shadows, watching and waiting.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxXxXX

(Chazz Princeton POV)

The days passed painfully slow. All Chazz could think of was the upcoming duel against the top two students of the American Duel Academy. The next fight, the next big milestone – this was good for Chazz. The pressure would build in him, making him hungry and relentless, which was the exact mindset he needed for a duel.

Yes, he was a hungry man. For recognition and approval, for respect and fear. Winning sated his appetite, but it never lasted. His brothers saw fit to remind him at every turn that each win was only a drop in a bucket, a bucket that could never be completely full.

As he ate breakfast with his friend Jesse, he wondered not for the first time how the teal-haired boy could be so calm and happy. They only had a week until the flight to San Francisco, and Jesse's demeanor hadn't changed at all. It reminded Chazz of Jaden's smiling ways, although for some reason he didn't find Jesse as annoying.

Then, he looked at what Jesse was eating. "Not to be rude, but what the fuck is that on your plate?"

Jesse looked at him cheerfully. "Chicken waffles!" On a specialty order, Jesse put fried chicken on top of a waffle and ate it with gravy. "They're really popular in America, from what I've read."

"Are you certain? It's a big place. I find it hard to believe that everyone in America likes to eat chicken on waffles." Chazz snarked without any real thought behind the words.

"Well, not everyone in Japan likes Onigiri, I bet. Or should I call them jelly donuts?" Jesse teased.

Chazz scoffed, but said nothing else, knowing that Jesse got him on that one. They silently ate for a time until Jesse spoke up again.

"We should go to a country music concert while we're in America! Maybe we can see Luke Bryan!"

"Don't push your luck." Chazz growled.

"Aw, come on! You should get out of your shell more often. I bet we can get some fake ID's someplace." Jesse wheedled.

"We're there on a mission, not to have fun." Chazz said, but inwardly he felt that a night on the town, where no one knew his name, might do him some good.

Jesse seemed to recognize this. "You'll change your mind once we win. I heard about how much vodka you pounded on the way back from Central Academy."

"…I was seasick." Chazz lamely excused.

"My ass you were. Just try to relax and enjoy yourself while we're there. I know we're supposed to be representing the pride of the North and all that stuff, but we're allowed to have some fun. You could use a little more fun in your life."

Chazz opened his mouth, but before the words could come out, there was a ruckus building in the North Academy cafeteria. The students were gazing out the windows at something, a rare excitement at the normally somber school.

"What's going on?" Chazz rudely pushed through a crowd of students so that he and Jesse could have prime view out of one of the windows. Jesse murmured some apologies to their blocked out peers, but it didn't seem to mollify of them. All of that was forgotten as the two boys looked out the window, though.

A yellow comet was streaking across the sky, angled to land in the ice fields a few miles off the grounds. It was so fast and bright that it reached the ground in only about 30 seconds after Chazz and Jesse started looking upon it. It hit the frozen ground with incredible force, sending up a massive pillar of snow into the air that fell in chunks of powder. Even from their viewpoint, it was obvious that the flying object left a fairly sizable crater, though it was impossible to accurately guess how big.

Instantly, the students broke out into excited mutterings, their food forgotten. Some even tried to run back to their dorms and grab their heavy jackets so that they could investigate the crater themselves. Before they could embark on their adventure, however, they were held back by the ever-vigilant teachers, the unfortunate ones tasked with squashing a child's curiosity.

"You'd think we would have heard about a meteor on the news or something." Jesse commented. "Lucky it didn't hit the building."

"Yeah…" For some reason, the sight of the meteor or comet or whatever it was gave him an uneasy…and familiar feeling. The sights, sounds, and smells of Central Duel Academy returned to him for a brief moment. For an instant, he smelled the salty spring of the seas and felt the hot sun beating down on his skin that so adamantly refused to tan.

The feeling passed, but the curiosity didn't. He had half a mind to disregard the teacher's authority and ride out to the crater himself, with Jesse at his side. There were snowmobiles in the garage, separated from the main school building, and he knew the passcode to the facility from watching a groundskeeper enter it from afar.

But ultimately, the more rational part of Chazz (it was very small, but it did in fact exist) won out, and he decided to wait. The decision hardly mattered though, because Headmaster Foster's voice echoed over the intercom moments later.

"Attention all students! This is your headmaster speaking. There is no need for concern regarding the meteor outside. I am in the process of gathering the groundskeepers, and they will investigate the crater to ensure that none of our utility lines were hit. There will be an update at the end of the school day today regarding the contents of the crater and whether it has any effect on our operations. At this time, all students are to maintain their normal schedules –"

"Aw, I really want to find out what's down there!" Jesse cut in.

"with the exceptions of Chazz Princeton and Jesse Anderson, who are to report to my office immediately." Foster finished before turning off the speakers with an audible click.

"Oops, spoke too soon." Jesse amended, taking in the jealous looks from his peers with his usual grace.

"Hmph. It's probably just a rock. But I suppose looking at a rock is still a more exciting prospect than going to class. Let's go." Chazz let a small smile grow as he briskly walked upstairs towards Foster's office.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxXxXxXx

In an hour, Chazz and Jesse were bundled up in their heavy winter gear. Jesse wore a white jacket with fur lining the hood with plain yellow mittens and a teal beanie while Chazz naturally was clad in all black clothing. They were driving the school's fleet of snowmobiles (yes, North Academy had some money and liked to flex it on occasion) out east to the site of the divot. Riding alongside them was Headmaster Foster and a crew of three of the school's groundskeepers, who would be inspecting if there were any damage to underground lines.

In a few minutes, they reached the crash site, leaving their vehicles parked on the edge of the crater. Luckily, the hole was more wide than deep, and the slope was gentle enough so that the men could walk up and down the sides without any significant difficulty. The groundskeepers began searching for damaged utility lines while Chazz, Jesse, and Foster made for the center of the crater.

"Not to be captain obvious, but where is the meteor?" Jesse asked, having to raise his voice to be heard over the howling winds of the North. But it was a pertinent question nonetheless, as no rock could be found in the center of the hole.

"What caused this, then?" Foster wondered aloud. Chazz began walking faster, moving ahead of his two compatriots. As they got closer, it became clear what had brought this about.

A single Duel Monsters card sat in the deepest part of the crater, completely undamaged and whole from the impact. _"Holy cannoli! We're sensing a really strong power off of that card, boss! Be careful!"_ Ojama Yellow cautioned. Somehow, the Ojamas weren't cold despite their skimpy man-thongs – must be a duel spirit thing. For once, Chazz actually heeded the annoying gremlin's words, and took a breath before picking the card up.

As Jesse and Foster caught up with him, Chazz felt a distinct weight in the card, an undeniable power that was restrained somehow, someway. Taking off his goggles, Chazz red the text on the card.

It was Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder.

"Hmm. Interesting. Looks rather like the Winged Dragon of Ra, wouldn't you say?" He held the card up to Jesse and Foster, who both nodded in agreement.

"Why is this card here? Who sent it, and how did it arrive undamaged and without any indication of a transport?" Foster asked all of these questions in one breath, and they were good questions. But Chazz didn't care, and found such queries inane. He was much interested in this mysterious cards potential. It looked as though good things really do fall from the sky from time to time.

"Who cares?" He said coldly before turning to Jesse. "Here, take a look at this. It looks to be a potentially useful card."

He handed the card to Jesse, and the teal-haired boy's arm momentarily gave way, as he was not prepared for its deceptive weight. Using two hands, he got a grip on it and read the effect.

"Wow, that's really something! Man, I might just try and use this in my deck! What do you think of that, you guys?" Chazz could see the teal-haired boy turn to ask his Crystal Beast spirits their opinion on the matter. Foster brushed this behavior off as Jesse just talking to his imaginary friends as he always did. As long as the kid kept winning games, the headmaster was content to indulge a few quirks.

The beasts were wary of the card, citing its dark energy and mysterious method of arrival as points of suspicion. Jesse appeared to be leaning towards not using the Sacred Beast, so Chazz felt the need to jump in.

"Don't be a fool! That card fits in well with your deck, and it could serve as a good surprise against the Americans." Chazz couldn't care less about nebulous dark energies – he wanted results. Chazz believed that any card could have a potential use – even the irksome Ojamas had power and technique for the right duelist to mine. He hated Jamie Lancaster's belief in "good" cards and "bad" cards, that he saw them as tools. As far as he was concerned, a card's worth was reflected in its user.

Jesse still seemed unsure, so he let Foster have a look at the card. As one might expect, Foster could not grasp the card's significance in the wider world of Duel Spirits, and only considered the card from its competitive worth. "There's still a few days to test it in practice, Jesse. That's the only way we can know if this card is even legitimate, much less if it is viable. For all we know, it could be a counterfeit." The headmaster advised. Before the advent of duel disks, counterfeit cards were much more common, con men attempting to dupe children out of their parent's money with seemingly powerful, one of a kind cards. With the invention of the duel disk, this practice mostly ceased, due to the disks having an internal card database that recognizes official cards and rejects fake ones. Still, to check in a case like this was sensible.

As they walked back, Jesse still seemed unsure, but Chazz inwardly smirked – he was confident that Jesse would use the card when push came to shove. They would need every bit of strength they could muster against the Americans, he could feel it in his bones.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxxXxX

(? POV)

The sky was mostly obscured by thick green foliage, the air thick and hot and buzzing with life. The jungle was an exceedingly harsh climate, with poison and heat and disease plaguing mankind at every turn. And yet, mankind imposed its will, as they always did, and there were settlements deep in the trees.

One such settlement was West Academy. A former boarding school for military brats, the school's curriculum recently began to incorporate dueling as a result of the game's skyrocketing popularity in both recreation and as a career option. But this was not to say that the place had gotten soft, far from it – if anything, the West had grown even more disciplined and harsh under the leadership of Thelonious Viper, the current headmaster.

A small garrison was currently at the school's large outdoor range, going through their daily shooting drills. Professor Viper was passing through, and chose to oversee the class for a few minutes while conferring with the master at arms who was teaching.

Viper had a withdrawn, sharp face that was always pinched in a frown. His hair was a dark charcoal, styled in a long, sloping point that would make the great Tristan Taylor himself green with envy. Despite his ridiculous haircut, he exuded an undeniable, strict authority. He wore a purple buttoned jacket with gold accouterments on the shoulders with black cargo pants and brown boots.

Coolly, he observed the students take their shots as the professor delivered a clinical report of the classes' progress to him. Deciphering that there were no immediate problems that would require his attention, Viper abruptly dismissed the man and made to leave the range. He was a busy man who had neither the time nor the desire to dally.

However, the sight of a red comet streaking through the treetops was enough to make him pause. _"What on earth?"_ He wondered for a brief moment before he remembered his training.

"Maintain discipline!" He barked to the students – the last thing anyone needed was for the boys to be startled with live ammunition in their hands. The unidentified object had somehow bypassed their sensors, or at the very least was fast enough that the men at the watchtowers could not have mobilized in time to notify him. There was the possibility that this was an ambush, but the location of West Academy was a secret to the outside world – could the knowledge have been leaked somehow?

But there was no time to think of that – the red object landed in the center of the range, leaving a small, but scorching hot crater. Heat shimmered from the epicenter of the hole, and two-toned red light hummed as the dust settled.

"An explosive?!" Viper thought for one terrible, long moment, but his assumption was incorrect. As the seconds went on, the red light dimmed, and the object's true nature became apparent.

"What? A fucking duel monsters card?" One of the students blurted, unaware that the headmaster was standing right behind him.

"Watch your tongue, private Lawson. Another slip up and you're back on latrine duty for a week." The boy's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he realized that his commander in chief had heard him, but he remained silent, capable of maintaining a veneer of respectability at least. Hastily muffled laughter could be heard – it was well known that Lawson was a loudmouth who more often than not earned his hours spent shoveling shit.

"Disarm." Viper's simple command had the boys all moving at once, safely shelving their guns as they were taught. "Brodie, on me. The rest of you will form a line and await further instruction."

A dark-skinned boy emerged from the crowd. His dark green student's uniform hid it well, but he was clearly more muscular than most of his peers, and his light hazel eyes were sharp and attentive. His black hair was currently buzzed, but it was known that he normally liked to wear it longer when off-duty. He would have had a handsome face if not for his large and squashed nose.

The other boys immediately made way, for this was Axel Brodie, the number one student at West Academy and Viper's clear favorite amongst the student body. Silently, he accompanied the headmaster side-by-side as they approached the crater cautiously.

Upon inspection, it was clear that Lawson's words were true, and this was, in fact, a Duel Monsters card. And it was no ordinary card. "Uria, Lord of Searing Flames…" Viper read. He knew of the Sacred Beasts – a high level secret known by less than ten people before today. It seemed that they had been loosed somehow, but they seemed to lack the destructive power they were fabled for.

 _"Doubtless a farce meant to discourage people from seeking the beasts."_ Viper thought mockingly. _"But it appears that no searching is needed. One has dropped into my lap. If Sheppard knows of this card's location or not, it makes little difference."_ Viper knew that Sheppard was a weak man who was fortunate to have Seto Kaiba's backing. _"If push comes to shove, I may have no choice but to return it…but for now, this card is an asset of West Academy…"_

"Private Brodie, walk with me. The rest of you are dismissed to your next class, with the order that you are not to speak of this. If asked, you are to say that you simply had a normal day at the range. Am I clear?"

The ensuing chorus of "YES, SIR" was never in doubt. Axel said nothing, but his eyes shone with curiosity as he held the card in his hands. Viper watched the other students go before turning to him.

"Have you read that card?"

"I have, sir."

"Good. You are to begin practicing its use with me once a week, so as to unlock the card's potential. I believe that you can use it well, for the good of the school. You have always liked fire monsters, isn't that correct? It wouldn't be the first time you've used a one of a kind card." Viper said unctuously as they walked briskly from the shooting range.

"Yes, sir." Axel said slowly, already thinking of ways to incorporate the card in his deck. He liked the design – it reminded him of the legendary Slifer the Sky dragon, only fiercer and more fiery.

"Good. Report to my office after supper, nineteen hundred hours sharp. We will discuss the details there. Be discreet with your comrades – supply only the most general information when asked." Viper commanded less harshly. He could always afford to be a little softer around Axel, knowing the boy's focus and discipline was ironclad. Axel was, in some ways, like a son to him.

"Yes, sir." Axel replied obediently. He rarely spoke any other words when in Viper's presence.

XxXxXxXxXXxXXXXxxXX

(? POV)

The sands of Egypt were colored a deep blue by the night, and the temperature had dropped thirty degrees since the sun had gone done – such was the way of the desert.

Pyramids jutted proudly against the sky, the only structures for miles around, or so it would seem. In the shadows of the great tombs, there were a few stone buildings, humble quarters for humble people. These were the housings of the tomb keepers, men and women tasked with the guarding of the ancient pharaoh's and their graves. For dozens of generations, the tomb keepers protected the legacy of the great kings of the past, even in the modern age, where there are none left to speak of.

Ten years ago, that legacy was almost wiped out completely – she still shuddered when thinking about it.

Ishizu Ishtar lied awake in bed, her deep, mysterious blue eyes gazing placidly at the ceiling. A pale, thin white gown covered her body, with gold adornments on the collarbone and waist. Her straight raven hair was splayed about the pillow like a thousand threads. She didn't like thinking about those days, but it was hard not to. A stray word said by her brothers Marik and Odion would unwillingly bring the memories back – even looking at Marik was sometimes enough to uncork the well.

But tonight, she felt there was a stronger reason for the flood of memories. Rising from her bed, she strode to the window and looked up at the sky.

A blue streak colored the sky, crossing the moon as it flew east, finally landing a few miles away.

XxXXXXxXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(? POV)

When the comet landed, it sent up a dusty plume of sand into the air, the pillar quickly scattered to the wind. As soon as the dust settled, a horseman rode hard towards the landing site, robed in a dark brown cloak. He brought his horse to rest at the crater's edge before swiftly dismounting. Without a sound, the outrider quickly slid down the side of the hole, the sand beginning to fill it once more. Acting fast, he grabbed ahold of the object at the epicenter, which was emitting a harsh blue light.

Scrambling back to the top, the man hid the card within his robes, so as to hide the bright azure light as best he could. Beneath his hood, the man's expression could be likened to a starving man who happened upon a feast.

"Who knew that for once something interesting would happen on the night's watch?" He murmured excitedly to himself. "Oh, if only those idiots knew what's in my hand…"

In his rough and calloused palms was Raviel, Lord of Phantasms. "It looks just like Obelisk the Tormentor…such a fool my cousin was to give away such a strong card, to Seto fucking Kaiba of all people…but I won't make the same mistake!"

He could already feel the power coursing through his veins. This was no ordinary card – it was something else, something ungodly! The man began cackling uncontrollably. His hood fell back from his head, revealing effeminate, _bishonen_ features, coffee-tan skin, and messy white hair.

"Today marks my last day as a lowly tombkeeper. After today, the name Hank Ishtar shall feared all across Egypt, and soon the world! And with this card, I will restore House Ishtar to greatness as my cousins once failed to do!"

Blue aura erupted around his body, lighting up his violet eyes. "It's time to see who truly deserves to rule House Ishtar! Prepare for battle, Marik!"

XxxXXXxxxXXXXXXx

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

At long last, it was the final week of school. What a year it's been – it felt like years worth of trouble had been packed into these past nine months.

Chumley got a plane earlier this week. He got a job offer from Maximillion Pegasus, who was still alive in this timeline for some reason. I guess Yami Bakura didn't see fit to kill the man after taking his Millennium Eye, despite that being the practical course of action. But then, considering his evil plan took like 200 episodes to reach fruition, maybe Yami Bakura just wasn't very practical in general.

Anyways, what was I saying? Oh yeah, so Chumley got this job as a card designer at the age of 17. He was getting cold hard cash while I was still stuck in school. I was glad for him, but it was still funny that Chumley technically joined the workforce before me, if you don't count my old life that is. And he was doing something he loved, which is more than most can say. Regardless of his dueling record, he was a winner in my book.

He still lost against Crowler. I didn't feel the need to interfere in this particular affair, partially because I was too lazy to and partially because Chumley was meant to show some stones in front of a teacher who had ridiculed and mocked him for his entire time at the academy. That was his fight, and his alone. Sure, I could have gave him some cards that would have hard-countered Crowler's deck, but the fact of the matter is that Chumley probably would have lost to Crowler anyway. People like to think of Crowler as a clown, most likely due to the fact that he physically resembles one, but he most certainly is a threat on the dueling field, and he certainly wasn't going to be losing to Chumley fucking Huffington any way you slice it. Chumley's talents just don't lie with dueling, and that was fine. The fight was about courage, not skill, and Chumley showed more than enough of it to pave the way to his future.

So we all bid farewell to him, at least for now. I imagined our paths would cross again sometime down the road, and he vowed to stay in touch. Of course, when a friend says that they mean to stay in touch, only time can tell if that will be true. I was so exhausted from recent events that the episode was a blur.

Zane seemed to feel the same way, which is why both of our asses were currently parked in lawn chairs, our toes lapped by the ocean tide as we shared a bottle of Captain Morgan and pineapple juice between us. When I asked where he got the alcohol, Zane cryptically told me that being Crowler's favorite student had its perks. It was a Sunday night, but we both resolved that we weren't going to morning classes tomorrow. We were basically given free reign for the most part for our services to the school – Crowler and Sheppard certainly weren't giving us any trouble as of late, and I hear that the latter had problems of his own. Rumor has it he's been in several discussions with Seto Kaiba since the final defeat of the Shadow Riders, and his fitness as a leader in times of trouble has gone under heavy fire. Kaiba has never been tolerant of perceived weakness, ever. Suddenly, the looming internship seemed all the more daunting.

I wasn't sure what to think of that, but what I was glad to hear of was that my friends had defeated the other Shadow Riders. Jasmine gave me a spirited account of Bastion's victory against the Scorpions – it was one of the few times she had actually been happy whilst talking to me. Elsewhere, I saw that the Rhodes siblings were reunited at last, and again my thoughts drifted to my family, my true family. There were always so many thoughts at the beginning and end of each day. It was comforting to see them together again though – this is the happiest I've ever seen Alexis, and she is truly beautiful when she is happy.

Zane himself spoke briefly of defeating Titan, but I could tell that the subject made him uncomfortable. The way his hands clenched into fists, and the way his posture became stiff and guarded told me that it made him angry.

Being angry once in a while was unavoidable – what matters is how the anger is used. People like Chazz and Erin wielded their rage wildly, and it was a caustic fuel that burned through their very veins, simultaneously motivating them and holding them down. Alexis grew cold and quiet when truly angry, and it sharpened her focus like the point of an icicle.

Zane wasn't like either – he just didn't know how to deal with anger, and that was the concerning part of it. It's such a huge problem when you have a lot of natural talent – the first obstacle in your path is infuriating and you don't have a preset way of addressing the problem. But something tells me it went deeper than that. I couldn't say for sure – I wasn't Zane's therapist, and it wasn't my place to demand that he bare his soul to me.

So we took turns taking pulls of rum and enjoyed the weight that had been lifted from his shoulders. The heat was starting to get miserable on the island, but we didn't mind. Zane had abounding offers from the pro leagues, and now it was just a matter of choosing the best option out of a group of good choices. Bastion and I had our interviews at Kaibacorp, and I hoped those would go well. It was good to worry about normal things, if only for a little while.

"So, I've been thinking…" Zane began after chasing his shot with pineapple juice. I could have made a snippy comment along the lines of "That's a first," but I didn't.

"It's tradition for the number one student in the graduating class to have one last duel in the Obelisk arena, as a final farewell to the school and its people." Said Zane.

I nodded. He spoke of the infamous graduation duel. "So it is."

He turned to me. "I was thinking of asking Jaden Yuki to be my opponent."

Zane said this as if it was supposed to be a bombshell, but I didn't mind. He and I had dueled each other nearly two dozen times on the practice fields, and we knew the other's strategies inside and out. It went unspoken between us, but I think he felt comfortable with me at the helm of Obelisk Blue next year. I didn't like appearing to be his junior, but I could stand it, as appearances were not reality in this case. As far as I knew, Zane and Jaden had only crossed swords once, at the beginning of the year. He was probably more interested in Jaden's growth, and wished to give him a rematch out of a sense of honor.

"A worthy choice." I nodded, feeling the warm ocean water wash over my toes. He looked at me with mild surprise.

"Heh, I figured you'd be nipping at my heels for one last game." Was all Zane said to that.

"There'll be other times." I shrugged. "When our real rematch comes, it will be in front of the entire dueling world, not this band of schoolchildren."

"You do realize that you still have two years to go, right? Therefore making you a schoolchild by your own definition?" Zane said, straight-faced.

"Yeah, don't remind me." I took a particularly long swig from the bottle at that.

"Don't worry, the next two years have gotta be more relaxing than this one at least." Zane chuckled.

"Yeah, if my 'relaxing' you mean 'a miserable, throbbing pain in my ass', then yes. It's gonna be as relaxing as it gets." I said, finishing the bottle.

 **A/N**

Hope you all enjoyed. A happy belated Independence Day to my fellow Americans – this chapter may or may not have been delayed by the fun I had at the lakes that week.

A little slower-paced chapter this time around, mainly to set up various plot threads for the next arc, as well as get some character interaction, or "fluff" as some people call it. The calm after the storm, so to speak, as well as the beginnings of another.

I was going to give the new Ishtar OC a "serious" name, but Hank Ishtar and his accompanying voice is some of Little Kuriboh's funniest material, so I decided to give him a nod. I honestly just said fuck it, why not. But some serious trouble is brewing in Egypt…we'll be seeing Marik and Odion soon.

Elsewhere, we see that Uria has landed in the West. Viper has not been contacted at all by Yubel yet, but that doesn't mean he's a chill dude by any means. It is in the nature of the snake to coil and calculate before striking, and that is what Viper means to do for now as he weighs the value of this new asset, and the possibility of keeping it a secret. He might be the next one in Kaiba's crosshairs if he's not careful.

And finally, Hamon in the North seemed to fit well with Jesse. It is partially an homage to canon, where he was able to use the Sacred Beasts, albeit while being controlled by Yubel. It's also a nod to how Hamon is kinda the real Crystal Beast boss monster, since it is very easy to get three continuous spells on the field with that engine. It's definitely way easier to summon than Rainbow Dragon, although more people are forced to run that card if they're playing the new fusions, which are quite fun. I remember hating having to run one Rainbow Dragon in a Rainbow Neos turbo deck I made back in 2013, but I had no choice. Fuck me, that's a bad card lol, but I digress.

Next chapter will cover Chazz and Jesse's (I made a typo in a previous chapter and said 'Chazz and Jamie's") Excellent Adventure to America and their exhibition match against David Rabb and Reggie Mackenzie.


	28. A Deadly Beauty, A Sharp Lesson

Chapter 28: A Deadly Beauty, A Sharp Lesson

(Chazz Princeton POV)

The plane ride was dreadful slow. It was a comfortable ride at least, a private jet commissioned by the Princeton brothers specifically for their younger brother's excursion to San Francisco. Chazz was given multiple earfuls about how important it was to make a strong first impression and properly display the Princeton fortune to full effect. Yes, it was so important, the most important thing in the world to them. The private jet was a part of that, but if a journey is sufficiently long, any plane ride starts to get…shitty.

Chazz had his arms crossed and his eyes closed, attempting to take a nap despite the fact that he was well rested and anything but drowsy. If it made the time go faster, he would try anything. Another reason he hated long travel was that it forced him to be alone with his thoughts, and he had choice but to reflect on his regrets and the paths not taken. The Ojamas were blessedly quiet for once, so that was something.

"We're beginning our descent towards San Francisco International, with an expected touchdown in thirty minutes. Please prepare your belongings, misters Princeton and Anderson." The pilot, one of Slade's men, said calmly over the intercom.

"Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit! We're finally here!" Jesse immediately rose from his slumber with a joyous expression.

Much to Chazz's dismay, Jesse's "Westaboo" phase was reaching its zenith. He was dressed in a teal button-down shirt tucked into pale jeans, with a big silver Texas Longhorn belt buckle. He also wore brown leather boots with spurs and a huge ten-gallon cowboy hat that was knocked off of his head every time he entered a doorway.

"I will pay you any amount of money to never say that again." Chazz said quickly.

"Say what? That we're finally here?" Jesse said impishly.

"….You know what, yes. Never say that again." Chazz ceded.

Jesse laughed heartily. "Whatever you say, boss."

XxXxXxXxXxxxXxxxXXXxxx

Soon after landing, Chazz and Jesse made their way to their rental car, which of course was a pickup. And of course it was a fucking Ford as well. Chazz did not have his driver's license, while Jesse got his the month before, so the would-be cowboy was the one to drive…and unfortunately, the one who controlled the radio by extension.

 _"~Chillin' on a dirt road, laid back swervin' like I'm George Jones…Smoke rollin' out the window, an ice cold beer sittin' in the console.~"_ Jesse sung along with the radio.

 _"What is with Americans and their fixation on beer?_ " Chazz thought snidely – nearly every song on the country station referenced it in some way, shape, or form. But any disdain he had for country music was held in reserve for the time being – they had a duel to win, and he knew next to nothing about their opponents and the cards they might play.

His brothers pulled up what information they could on David Rabb and Reggie Mackenzie, but Chazz didn't even know which of the two he would be facing, so he did his own research on them both. He doubted Jesse even knew their names, but he was not so glib.

They were said to be adopted siblings, though they looked so similar they might as well have been related. Both of them shared strong, tall frames with Aryan features in the hair and eyes. They seemed to favor militaristic clothing as well – needless to say, a dozen Nazi jokes sprung to Chazz's lips the moment he saw their pictures.

They were also the top two students at the American Duel Academy, Mackenzie earning the title "Venus" and her brother "Jupiter" for their feats in the dueling pits. Chazz had to admit that Mackenzie was incredibly beautiful. He always had a thing for blondes, but most thoughts of romance inevitably brought him back to Alexis Rhodes, like a coin circling a drain. He hardly knew her, and he knew for a fact that she found him repulsive, but it was hard for Chazz to get her off his mind. If he ever saw Alexis again, he vowed to tell her how he felt, just so that he wouldn't have the regret hanging over him. He tended to rehearse what he would say to her, but tried not to.

"Doesn't matter now." He would always tell himself before he got too lost down the road of what-ifs.

"You say something?" Jesse briefly rested his voice from singing to ask.

Chazz raised his eyebrows, not realizing that he said it aloud this time. "No." Looking around, he noticed that they were crossing the famous Golden Gate Bridge, red beams standing out starkly against the blue sky. It was ten in the morning, so traffic was actually not as horrible as it usually was, though crossing the bridge was still a pain in the ass to be sure.

The two Northern boys thought the heat of the San Francisco Bay a sharp contrast to the frozen North. Chazz found it distastefully reminiscent of the Central Academy Island, while Jesse simply wasn't used to such weather. It was a subtle, yet pervading sign that they were out of their element, strangers in a strange land. At this point, the boys were so parched that they would gladly drink a Dasani. Yeah, it was that bad.

But eventually, they reached their destination. The American Duel Academy was…depressingly efficient. There was little in the way of flair or style in the architecture, each building on campus a glass cube or in some cases a steel tower. Everything was relatively clean, which was impressive considering that they were in such a heavily populated urban area. But the environment had little character – the buildings and streets told no stories, they were just steel and concrete. The students walked by in fashionable urban clothing and acceptable hairstyles – Jesse's wild teal mop and huge cowboy hat, along with Chazz's black hedge stood out like sore thumbs.

Neither of them could put words to the feeling, but there was something…cold about it all. And it wasn't the type of cold they were used to, it was a cold that chilled the heart and dulled the mind.

Silently, they made their way to the main administration building. Unlike the Central and North Duel Academies, which were contained within a single large structure, the American Duel Academy had several buildings for dormitories, classrooms, and offices spread out amongst a well-kept, too-green lawn, with concrete walkways leading the eye to each building.

Something about the place made Chazz suspicious, but at this point, his blood boiled for a fight, and he wasn't gonna leave until he got the one he was promised. Jesse had the same feeling, but due to his tendency to believe the best of people, he tried to suppress his unease.

As soon as the boys walked into the atrium of the main administration office, they were greeted with a somewhat nonplussed look by the receptionist. Jesse's hat was too tall for the doorway, so he had to take it off and put it back on again once he got inside.

"Erm…can I help you two gentlemen with something?" The receptionist, a heavyset woman with a black bob haircut, said slowly.

"Yes, we're the two emissaries from North Academy, here for the exhibition match with your students?" Chazz said, his voice lilting up at the end of the statement so as to denote a question.

She looked sardonically between the two of them in a way that annoyed Chazz greatly before she asked, "May I see some identification?"

Chazz frowned before retrieving his student ID card from his pocket, Jesse doing the same. She looked them over thoroughly before finally saying begrudgingly, "I see. Please wait here and enjoy a refreshment while I call down a staff member. They will escort you to the arena."

XxXxXxXxXXxXXXXxxXXXxxXxXxxX

The staff member who took them to the stadium was a janitor, who walked them over while pushing a cart with various cleaning supplies and tools inside. Chazz was certain that this was meant to be an insult – first the receptionist's suspicion of them, and now the fact that a janitor was their escort.

The place was already packed by the time they got there, which made him wonder if they were late – perhaps his brothers were "accidentally" given the wrong starting time, so that they might look like fools. Chazz hated Slade and Jagger, but he understood that such slights against the family could not be taken lightly, if that's what was going on.

The arena was built in a similar style as Candlestick Park, which was apparently a stadium that this city's football team played in, but on a smaller scale. Chazz didn't really give a shit about sports, but he did find the place suitably impressive in its own right.

To their surprise, they found Headmaster Foster in the parking lot, happening upon him by pure accident. "Boys! What auspicious luck! I was able to get out of a conference I had today, so your brothers were kind enough to fly me out to the event. I would have contacted you earlier, but you know, airplanes." He said goofily.

"Hey, it's no problem, chief! Good to see a familiar face." Jesse replied. Between the two of them, Jesse was the face of the operation, as he actually had social skills and a considerable amount of patience with which to wield them. Chazz was usually fine to let Jesse do the talking when it came to the pleasantries. This time, however, a quick question occurred to him.

"Are my brothers here, then?"

Foster looked a bit surprised that he actually spoke up, but quickly answered with a shake of the head. "No, they appeared to be quite busy when I last spoke with them. But they send their regards and wish you both the best of luck."

Chazz said nothing to the surely sweetened words. Foster spoke consolingly, but Chazz actually thought it was a good thing that they weren't here today. _"I don't want them knowing everything about what my deck can do, considering I mean to defeat them one day."_

The next hour slipped away like sand through their fingers, Foster grabbing his seat while Chazz and Jesse sat in an open hallway, waiting for the cue to step out into the spotlight. Neither of them could believe that the day was finally here, but these were the moments Chazz lived for – it was time to fight!

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to a very special exhibition match honoring the end of the 2005 school year! Today, we are very pleased to welcome Chazz Princeton and Jesse Anderson of North Academy, who have traveled here today to face our champions! Let's give them a warm welcome!" An overly-chipper announcer blared through the mic.

Chazz expected some booing or jeering from the almost totally American audience, but his surprise they just got a half-hearted smattering of applause, with a few faint taunts thrown in.

"And on behalf of our great school, allow me to introduce our very own deadly duo, Reggie Mackenzie and David Rabb!"

This time was different – the audience cheered loud and long. Clearly, Mackenzie and David were very popular amongst their peers, and it wasn't difficult for Chazz to imagine why. The two were not only beautiful people and clearly skilled duelists, but they held themselves with an easy, natural confidence that couldn't be imitated. They appeared angelic, in other words.

 _"But looks aren't everything."_ Chazz relished the thought of marring their damnably perfect appearances.

"So here you are at last! I have awaited this battle for quite some time. The name's Chazz of clan Princeton, and I am the most powerful duelist of all the five great duel academies! Remember that name!" He boasted. There's no way they were going to get a rise of him - no, he much preferred the idea of provoking them to a rage while he remained cool and composed.

"Erm, hello. I'm Jesse Anderson. Sorry about him." The Crystal Beast user said meekly, gesturing to Chazz with a self-deprecating chuckle.

The blonde siblings remained silent. Their identical blue eyes met for a moment, and in that moment they seemed to share a secret joke. Subtle, soft laughter escaped from both of their lips at the same time.

"You're laughing…why is that? This is not a joke!" Predictably, Chazz flew off the handle at the first sign of a slight, despite his earlier claims about staying calm and collected. However, the announcer interrupted before the black-clad duelist could go on another self-absorbed rant.

"The exhibition match will proceed as follows. Miss Mackenzie will face the challenger Princeton on the west side of the arena while Mister Rabb will duel the challenger Anderson on the east side. Both duels will occur simultaneously, but it bears repeating that this is not a tag match! Neither duelist is permitted to help or talk to the other while the games are proceeding. With that being said, each duelist will now take their places accordingly!"

The four challengers did as they were bid. "Good luck, man." Jesse said to Chazz, smiling hopefully.

"Hmph! Same to you." Chazz replied haughtily before turning sharply to his side of the large, flat arena. David and Mackenzie simply nodded at each other before taking their places as well. Chazz and Mackenzie were now well out of Jesse and David's earshot.

The King in the North found himself eye to eye with the beautiful blonde. "Prepare to be Chazzed on, lady!"

She looked very unamused. "Tell me, are all of you Central Academy duelists so full of yourselves? Are the Lion of Obelisk and the Kaiser like you? These ridiculous nicknames are really too much. Do all Obelisk Blues brag as a way of hiding their incompetence, or is that more of a 'you' thing?" Mackenzie insulted clinically. The insult was manifold, but the most infuriating part of it was how she referred to him as a Central Academy duelist. He wasn't! Chazz didn't want anything to do with that damned island.

"You take that back! You'll regret saying that! I am far superior to any duelist from Central Academy, and what's more, I am a true Northerner!" Chazz snarled.

"…So it's more of a 'you' thing, huh?" She asked, the ghost of a smile on her lips.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" He roared.

"I grow tired of bandying about words. The audience wants a good fight, and I want something from you as well." She said cryptically.

Something about that statement seemed odd to Chazz, but he was focused on dueling, so he paid it little mind. "Hah, the only thing you'll be getting from me is a taste of defeat. And be warned – I'm not going easy you just because you're a woman."

"Funny – I was about to say the same thing." She replied smoothly.

XxXxxXxXxXXxXXXXXxXX

"Aw man, he walked right into that one." Jesse said with an embarrassed laugh. Turns out they weren't so out of earshot as Chazz thought.

David Rabb watched the back and forth between Chazz and Mackenzie with a strange gleam in his eye. Was it amusement, or something else?

"Indeed. Your friend seems like an angry person." David said blandly.

"Yeah, he's a bit of a grumpy guy, but he's not so bad once you get to know him!" Jesse said in chummy fashion. "But we should focus on our own match. Let's have a good game!"

"Hm," David looked appraisingly at Jesse's outfit. "They call you the Jewel of the North around the American dueling circuit. The only duelist who can use the Crystal Beast cards, or so I've heard."

"Hehe, yup, that's me-"Jesse began, but was interrupted.

"Personally, I think Brokeback Mountain would be a more apt moniker, all things considered." David finished coldly.

Instantly, Jesse's friendly demeanor evaporated as comprehension dawned. "So, that's how it's gonna be, huh?" This guy's attitude reminded Jesse of Chazz's brothers, and that was enough to piss him off.

David smirked, seeing that he successfully touched a nerve. "Don't worry, this is just a sideshow to the main event. Once we have what he require from your esteemed king, you'll be free to go back to your frozen wastes…."

" _What is he talking about?"_ Jesse wondered, but he had little time to think on it. The four duelists activated their duel disks, and the game was afoot.

XxXxXxXxXXxXXXx

After a quick round of rock-paper-scissors, Mackenzie got the first turn. The crowd cheered her on as she drew her first card. "I shall T-set." She said, placing a monster and an unknown spell or trap face-down. "That will be all."

"Hmph." Chazz drew his first card, his black trenchcoat fluttering in the wind as a thousand eyes stared down at him. "Such defenses aren't enough against me! I summon **Lancer Lindwurm (1800/1200)**!" Chazz's first monster was a small, green-scaled dragon with golden armor adorning its midsection. In its claws was a double-sided silver spear.

"This monster can inflict piercing damage whenever it attacks a defensive monster! Now strike, Lancer Lindwurm!" The dragon rushed towards Mackenzie's monster. Chazz half-expected a trap, but none came. The spear ran through her **Shining Angel (1400/800)** successfully, and Chazz was able to deal some damage as a result of his monster's effect. The strike was remarkably violent for a hologram – the lance bloodily impaled the angel and pinned him to the ground before the digital image shattered apart. The audience loved it, whooping wildly despite the fact that their champion was on the losing end of the exchange. **(Chazz 4000/Mackenzie 3000)**

"A fairy deck, eh?" Chazz raised an eyebrow. He rarely faced those. Fairies were tricky cards, many of their effects revolving around the successful use of counter traps. They also had the ability to summon high level monsters quickly and easily. In this way, they were the natural counterpart to Beasts, which revolved around low-level swarming and direct battling. Many types of monsters in the game were direct foils to one another – Spellcasters and Dragons, Pyros and Aquas, Warriors and Fiends. It was part of the reason Chazz kept his deck diverse – it helped him avoid hard counters.

"When Shining Angel is destroyed, I can summon a light monster with 1500 attack points or less from my deck in attack mode. I choose another Shining Angel." An identical cherub descended to the field in a soft tower of light. Despite taking damage, Mackenzie looked totally unfazed, with not a hair out of place.

"Fine, I end my turn." Chazz said quickly. He didn't have any good-face-downs, and was prepared to lose his dragon next turn if needs be.

Mackenzie recognized this, and felt comfortable investing in a tribute summon. "My draw. I sacrifice Shining Angel to summon **Tethys, Goddess of Light (2400/1800)**!" A radiant, angelic woman with long white hair and enormous feathered wins descended from on high. Much like Chazz's dragon, she too wore gold armor, although it was more polished and clean in comparison.

"Tethys attacks your Lancer Lindwurm!" Charging a holy beam of radiation between her palms, the angel blasted Chazz's dragon into nothingness with minimal effort. Chazz grunted and lifted his arms to shield his eyes from the blinding light. **(Chazz 3400/Mackenzie 3000)**

Chazz was perturbed at how easily she turned the tables on him, but that was something he could do too. Mackenzie paused for a moment before ending her turn.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Jesse won the first turn, going for the unorthodox play of choosing scissors. "Let's do this, guys!" the Crystal Beast spirits were all behind him, ready for battle.

"I'll start by summoning **Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus (1800/1200)** in attack mode!" A white unicorn with golden wings arrived at Jesse's side, its horn carved from blue gemstone. "When he's summoned, I can place a Crystal Beast directly from my deck into my spell and trap zone."

"So it's true, the beasts can be used as continuous spells as well as monsters…" David commented idly as a dark blue prism appeared next to Jesse's foot.

"That's right! I choose to put Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle in my spell zone. Then, I'll set another card and end my turn." Jesse finished.

"I see…but those cards don't really do anything while they're in your spell zone, apart from looking pretty. Am I wrong?" David probed as he took his first draw.

"They do a lot more than that, pal. Just wait and see." Jesse countered.

"We'll see indeed. I'll start by summoning **Machina Gearframe (1800/0** ) in attack mode!" David's first monster was a slim android with bright orange framing, a color similar to a traffic cone. "When this monster is summoned, I can add a Machina card from deck to hand. Then, I play **Frontline Base,** a spell which lets me special summon one union monster from my hand once per turn!"

"Union monsters…" Jesse murmured with a smile. He had plenty of experience facing those. Chazz used the VWXYZ series against him frequently during their practice matches. "Let's see what you've got!"

"I'll special summon **Machina Peacekeeper (500/400)**!" This monster was a rather cute, Wall-E looking gadget with a bright red coat of paint and tricycle treads.

"You seem to know of Union monsters, so my next move should come as little surprise." The Machina Peacekeeper began to transform and merge with the Gearframe, its wheels attaching to the bottom of the Gearframe's feet. "I'll attach the peacekeeper to the Gearframe!"

"That didn't give him any extra attack points…why did he bother?" Jesse wondered.

"Now, I'll attack your Sapphire Pegasus with Machina Gearframe!" The two monsters had identical attack points, so it would follow that borh would be destroyed. However, David could simply destroy the union monster attached to his monster in order to save the Gearframe, while Jesse could do little but send the Pegasus to his spell zone. Using its tough hooves, the Pegasus dismantled the attachments on the Gearframe. Meanwhile, the machine was letting loose a volley of piston-powered punches that ultimately got the best of the winged stallion. As it was destroyed, a round, clear blue crystal formed in Jesse's backrow.

"You see, it's actually a good thing my Union monster was destroyed. When Machina Peacekeeper leaves the field, I can add another Union monster from my deck to my hand!" David speedily grabbed another card, bolstering his hand advantage. "I set a card and end my turn.

 _"His deck has surprising speed."_ Jesse admitted mentally. _"But he's not the only one accumulating advantage."_

"My go!" Jesse could feel himself getting into the flow of the fight. He wasn't a battle maniac like Chazz, but Jesse loved a good duel nonetheless…even against a douchebag like this guy.

David was feeling the same thing – his blood was up, and this game was starting to feel a bit boring, a bit toothless, a bit _bloodless_. The urges were coming back, and he didn't really care that an audience of nearly two thousand was watching them.

"I activate the spell **Rare Value**! You get to choose which of my crystals to send the graveyard, but after that, I get to draw two cards." It was a strong card – Crystal Beasts didn't have bad searching power.

David took an annoyed sigh. "Send the Pegasus." He said tersely.

Jesse did so, and drew two new cards. _"Woah!"_ He let out, seeing that Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder, was one of the cards he drew. _"There it is. Guess we might see what this thing can do in a real fight."_

David didn't miss the change in Jesse's demeanor _. "What did he just draw? He doesn't necessarily look excited…he almost looks a little apprehensive. Good…I want to taste some fear."_

Slowly, dark black tendrils began coiling around the dueling field, unbeknownst to the general audience.

XxXxXxXxXxxxXxXXX

 _"Heh….looks like we're both getting a challenging fight. Good!"_ Chazz thought. Inwardly, he was cheering for his fellow Northman. Although Jesse had some annoying habits (like his recent obsession with country music for one thing), he was a good man and a true friend. Chazz hoped that the both of them could win some glory today.

Then, he saw the shadows growing in number, midnight smoke rising inexplicably around David Rabb's body. " _What the hell is going on? Is that a card effect?"_ He wondered.

 _"Contestant Princeton, please continue your turn!" The_ announcer sharply reminded him. Chazz huffed and drew his card. Mackenzie was also stealing glances at the other side of the arena, but as usual, Chazz couldn't discern what she was thinking.

 _"I have to focus on the battle in front of me for now. But something tells me I should finish this quick!"_ Chazz thought with mounting unease. "I summon **Armed Dragon LV 3 (1200/900)** in attack mode!" Chazz's puny, orange dragon was not to be underestimated – everyone here knew its potential. "Then, I'll set a card face-down and end my turn!"

"Ah, this little song and dance." Mackenzie was almost starting to look bored, but soon enough her expression resumed its placid and icy countenance. Emotions only seemed to flicker on her face for moments at a time.

"Try and stop my dragon's evolution if you can!" Chazz smirked, even as he inwardly worried about Jesse.

She just rolled her eyes. "I drew a Fairy type monster, so Tethys' effect activates, allowing me to draw one more card so long as I reveal the monster drawn."

The card was revealed to be Hecatrice. "Then, I will discard **Hecatrice** to use its special ability, which lets me add a continuous spell called Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen to my hand." A golden dagger briefly materialized before disappearing just as fast.

"Finally, I shall summon **Gellenduo (1700/0)** to the field." Two extremely cute little chibi creatures appeared, each having wide baby blue eyes and a halo surrounding their waists. One was pink, the other light green.

"I'm shaking in my boots." Chazz drawled. As usual though, she just ignored him.

"Tethys, attack the Armed Dragon." Another holy light beamed down at Chazz's monster, threatening to smite it.

"Not so fast! I activate **Negate Attack**!" The common counter trap served its purpose once again, stopping Reggie's battle phase. A flicker of annoyance crossed her features, but it passed just as quickly as everything else did. She ended her turn with a mocking bow.

"Is that really your best shot? Because I'm just getting started! During my turn, my Armed Dragon evolves to level 5 **(2400/1700)**!" Sure enough, the dragon began to grow in size, its orange coloring gradually shifting to red as the spiky armor it had grew more polished and refined. It grew a comical belly, but the glare it held in its dark eyes was anything but.

"And I'm not done! I activate **Level Up** , a spell which lets me upgrade the Armed Dragon once more, to **Armed Dragon Level 7 (2800/1000)!"** The dragongrew larger still, now towering over the two duelists by nearly a dozen meters. The crowd loved the spectacle as the dragon's armor shone sterling silver and its blades sharpened further. Now sporting black and red scales underneath shining metal plate, the dragon was now truly a force to be reckoned with.

Chazz didn't have anything in his hand he could discard for the Armed Dragon's effect, but he didn't need it. "Armed Dragon, attack Tethys with serrated sonic disks!" The beast let loose two sharp light green blades of wind from its forearms, the two razors cleaving apart the angel violently and brutally. **(Chazz 3400/Mackenzie 2600)**

Mackenzie threw her arms up to defend from the sudden burst of wind, her blonde hair fiercely rippling in the gale. The Gellenduo was destroyed as well – it couldn't be destroyed by battle normally, but the drawback was that it destroyed itself whenever Mackenzie took damage. The little fairies didn't look cut out for the battlefield, and sure enough they didn't last very long.

Despite the fact that he held the advantage, Chazz looked a bit unnerved. "Tch, I've seen storefront mannequins show more emotion than this. It's starting to piss me off how you're pretending like nothing's happening..."

"You surprise me, Princeton. I didn't expect you to push me this far. Few other than my brother have managed this much against me. Tell me, does Jaden Yuki possess this kind of strength?" she asked calmly. Her hair was ruffled, and she had a few signs of wear from the battle, but her expression was perpetually ice cold.

Chazz didn't expect to hear Jaden's name. Why was she curious about him? "Don't be absurd. He may have defeated me in the past, but those days are long gone. I'm stronger than him, the Kaiser, Jamie Lancaster, the whole lot of them!" He roared pridefully.

"Is that so? Well then, I suppose none of you are really all that special, then. Hard to believe that you were the one chosen by the Light and Darkness Dragon spirit." Mackenzie replied.

"What did you say?!" Chazz hissed. How could she know about that? Before he could register the meaning of those words, she was already beginning her move.

"But none of that will matter soon, for that card will belong to me by the day's end. Someone as crude as you will doubtless be unable to appreciate the sublime beauty of my next card. Now, meet the messengers of the gods! I activate **Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen**!"

Their side of the arena was covered in crimson drapes as Greek-style marble pillars rose around them. Roses sprouted from the concrete, stray petals floating lazily in the open air. Chazz could only gape as he pondered the meaning of her earlier words. Suddenly, entering this exhibition match seemed like a really bad idea.

But he would never admit this aloud. "A pleasant change of scenery." He snarked, even as his uncertainty festered.

"When I have no monsters on my side of the field, this hallowed hall allows me to summon a Fairy monster from my hand for no cost." Mackenzie explained.

"From what I've seen, your damn fairies aren't fit for battle, so forgive me if I'm not frightened." Chazz never missed an opportunity to run his mouth – little did he know his words would backfire only moments later.

"I summon the legendary planet, **Splendid Venus (2800/2400)**!" In the center of the hall, a beam of light shone down from the heavens themselves, and in that beam was a golden goddess. From head to toe, the angel was impossibly radiant, almost too bright to look at. Four wings spread from her back, and the fairy had a certain inhuman beauty to it that Chazz found simultaneously rapturous and disquieting.

"A legendary planet, huh? Let's see what kind of power it's got!" He clenched his fist defiantly, even as alarms were ringing nonstop in his head.

"Be careful, little prince – a duelist lost in rage can be a fragile thing…"

XxXxXxXXxxXXXxxxXX

"What's the meaning of this?!" Jesse asked forcefully. Could the audience not see what he was seeing? Why did a dark aura now surround his opponent? The vicious gleam in David's eye did nothing to assuage Jesse's growing discomfort either. Suddenly, entering this exhibition match seemed like a really bad idea.

"Heheh…don't worry about it, Brokeback Mountain. I just want to make this game a little more interesting. Have you ever heard of a shadow game?" David's voice was darker now, more guttural than before.

"Ohhhhhh gosh damn it." Jesse gulped. The Crystal Beast spirits were about two seconds away from turning tail and running. Jesse couldn't rightly blame them, in all honesty. But he had the fierce pride of a duelist, and he wasn't going to let those words intimidate him.

"It's still my turn! I activate the spell **Rainbow Bridge** , which lets me add one Crystal spell or trap from deck to hand!" Jesse quickly thumbed through his deck until he found the necessary card. "I better finish this fast! I summon **Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger (1600/1000)**!"

A fearsome white tiger slinked onto the field, its predator body coiled menacingly. It had pale yellow gems ensconced in its fur, and a sharp silver horn protruded from its forehead.

"Then, I'll play the spell I just added to my hand, **Crystal Promise**! This lets me release the hidden power in one of my gemstones, and summon the Crystal Beast back from the spell zone!" As Jesse spoke, powerful and layered blue waves seeped from the cobalt stone next to him. A web of fractures broke out amongst the surface of the stone, and it broke a second later, releasing a handsome brown-feathered hawk with dark blue jewels in its wings.

"Meet **Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle (1400/800)**!" Jesse now had two monsters on his side of the field.

"And how do you plan on getting by my Gearframe?" Rabb asked arrogantly, not figuring that one of the Crystal Beasts had effects that would be useful in this kind of situation.

"Pretty easily, considering that Topaz Tiger gets 400 attack points when it attacks!" On cue, the tiger pounced, a golden aura surrounding it as its attack points rose to 2000. Rabb frowned, but otherwise betrayed little emotion as his machine was torn apart limb from limb. **(Jesse 4000/David 3800)**

"Now, attack him directly, Cobalt Eagle!" With a piercing keel, the feathered predator swooped downwards and made a swipe at David with its talons. **(Jesse 4000/David 2400)**

The crowd enjoyed the back and forth before, but now they were starting to get pissed. The Northerners were beginning to push back their champions, and if their best students were capable of being defeated by North Academy, what did that say about them? The north had been a joke for so long that many of the American students underestimated Chazz and Jesse – their rather ridiculous appearances didn't help matters, with Chazz being his usual all-black, edgy self and Jesse going through his cowboy phae. Now though, there was no cause for laughter amongst the audience.

David and Mackenzie were forced to acknowledge their opponents weren't pushovers. It was time to get serious. Jesse ended his turn with a face-down, and not a moment afterwards, David snapped the next card off the top of his deck.

"That's an impressive assortment of zoo animals, twink. I wonder how they'll handle some real firepower! I'll start by summoning **Double Coston (1700/1600)**!" In contrast with the rest of his deck's overall theme, David's next monster was some sort of weird purple slime monster with two heads and an impish expression on both of them.

"Man, that card doesn't fit with your machine aesthetic at all!" Jesse said with faux outrage, having always had an eye for style.

"That may be true, but it fits exceedingly well with my "kick your ass" aesthetic!' The audience groaned at the overwhelming lameness of that line, and David was forced to pause for a moment. "Erm, anyways, I'll now play the spell **Double Summon**!"

"And that Double Coston counts as two tributes, I'm guessing…" Jesse surmised with grit teeth.

"That's right!" David exclaimed with a wild gleam in his eye as his monster began to disappear into the ether. One of his eyes was covered by the slanted angle of his hat's brim, while the other was crazed and yet scarily focused, like a chimpanzee about to rip something apart.

"You can have your little jewels and gemstones – I have the power of an entire planet at my command! Come forth, **The Big Saturn (2800/2200)**!" The crowd roared its approval at this latest summon. The sounds and smells of rocket fuel permeated the air, and a moment later an enormous silver robot materialized onto the field. True to its name, it was very big, with a spherical main body about the size of six pickup trucks stacked on top of each other. Twin boosters were attached to its back, shooting out a never-ending stream of flame. A halo made of hard light surrounded its body, and it had two clenched fists that were easily twice as tall and wide as Jesse.

"Woah…a legendary planet?!" Jesse exclaimed in shock. He looked over to the other dueling field and saw that Chazz was facing down a similarly large monster, although his was an angel of some sort while Jesse's was a machine. The two legendary planets towered over them while standing side-by-side. One was a golden, warm gift bestowed from the gods while the other was a silver and cold testament to mankind's ingenuity. They seemed to be natural foes, but today they were united in their mission to defeat North Academy.

David cackled wildly for a moment before realizing where he was and regaining control. "Take this! Saturn, destroy his Cobalt Eagle!" It was no contest – the enormous engine crushed Jesse's hawk like a man would an insect. What's more, Jesse felt the wind knocked out of his lungs simultaneously. **(Jesse 2600/David 2400)**

Jesse gaped like a fish as he tried to breathe again, a cobalt stone reforming in his spell zone. David looked quite pleased, despite the fact that he still had less life points. But the Big Saturn was so massive, Jesse wouldn't have felt comfortable with a million life points.

His seafoam eyes flickered to the Sacred Beast in his hand. _"I may not have much choice but to use this… I don't know where this card came from, and I might draw some unwelcome attention if I do use it. But this guy is nuttier than squirrel shit and I really don't want to know what happens if I lose here!"_

XxXXxXxxxXXXX

Chazz bristled at Mackenzie's remark. "Rage is only a piece of my power. I got this good as a duelist because I worked hard at it!" He despised it when people assumed he was only skilled because his money allowed him to buy good cards. Strategy, resource management, and the fundamentals of the game couldn't be obtained by anything other than experience.

"How sad to work so hard for so little. All is inferior before my Splendid Venus. You see, when it's on the field, all non-fairy type monsters lose 500 attack and defense points. Furthermore, my spell and trap effects can no longer be negated." As Mackenzie spoke, Chazz felt the light grow hotter and more intense. His Armed Dragon whined as its metal armor grew uncomfortably hot, its attack points reduced to 2300.

"And now, I'll play **Monster Reborn** to summon Tethys from the graveyard." A blue Egyptian ankh briefly shimmered on the field as Mackenzie's minor goddess returned to the field in a blinding radiance. Chazz couldn't believe how quickly things had spiraled out of his control.

Not giving Chazz a moment to breathe, she continued, "Attack with holy feather shot!" A rain of pure white arrows rained down from the angel's wings, turning the Armed Dragon into a pincushion. **(Chazz 2900/Mackenzie 2600)**

"And now, Tethys will attack you directly!" This time, Chazz felt the angel's golden beam of light up close and personal – it struck him on the chest and knocked him on his rear. He tumbled ungracefully for a moment while the crowd laughed derisively at him. He hastily tried to get to his feet, only to trip over his own feet in his haste. The crowd laughed further, and Chazz could feel hot lava boiling in his veins. "Hey Princeton, you're a creampuff!" One bold student jeered.

" _Fuck them all."_ He thought viciously after he finally righted himself. The sudden reversal was telling – he felt as if she was finally showing her true strength. _"Surely she hasn't been toying with me this entire time! That attack hurt…it actually hurt! But why?"_ **(Chazz 500/Mackenzie 2600)**

"How quickly bravado goes out the window when you're flat on your ass." Mackenzie would have looked like a doll if not for the languid smirk that was slowly working tis way up her heart-shaped face, and the mechanical way her eyes slowly raked up and down his form. She was truly gorgeous, and that only made Chazz more pissed off. He felt a raw venom rise in his throat like bile as the pressure began to make itself apparent. A loss here would be nearly as horrible as if he lost to Jaden all those months ago. Where would he be if he lost to the red hero that day? Would he still be a northman, or an islander, or even a Princeton? Or would he be something else? The uncertainty was unbearable, and Chazz always lived in fear of the future. He wasn't sure if his brothers were physically in the crowd or not, but he could still feel their eyes on him at all times, crawling over him like roaches…

So he focused on the present, the here and now, and let his anger fuel him like kerosene to a flame. Or lightning…

" _She'll regret playing around with me!"_ His next draw was quite literally a windfall – it could even be seen in the card's artwork. "I play **Card** **of** **Sanctity**!"

Without even consciously thinking, Chazz could perceive his next combo coming together as he added cards to his hand. To his left were the Ojama spirits, to his right was the Light and Darkness Dragon. _"Ready to go, boys?"_

The dragon simply roared in approval, looking all badass, while the Ojamas began performing the Macarena, looking decidedly not-badass. Chazz couldn't help but feel as though he drew better cards when he really placed his trust in his spirit partners.

"Oh? You must have drawn something useful. You'll have to forgive me, it's hard to tell when you have the same sneer on your face all the time." Mackenzie roasted, not noticing that the exact same words could easily apply to herself.

"Heh…you might want to check the weather in Valhalla, because it looks like a storm is forming! I activate **Lightning Vortex**! Bu discarding a card, I can destroy all-face up monsters on your field!" It was just what he needed to regain field control, and a useful card besides, being the weaker counterpart of the currently banned Raigeki.

The effervescent sunlight of Valhalla was suddenly darkened by oncoming storm clouds. Soon enough, the sky was a dark, somber grey, with arcs of electricity coursing amongst the clouds.

"Now, begone with the thunderclap!" Chazz raised his hand before swinging it down, and with it came a deluge of lightning upon Mackenzie's field.

Yet again, a flicker of shock passed across Mackenzie's face as her two angels, including the so-called Legendary Planet were zapped like bugs by Chazz's spell. The sky lightened quickly thereafter, and her bare field was the only sign the storm happened at all. "And that's not all!" Chazz continued. "The card I discarded was **Ojamagic**. When it's sent to the graveyard, I can add the three Ojama brothers from my deck to my hand!" He added Black, Yellow, and Green, fortifying his already strong hand.

"Now here comes the fun part! I play **Polymerization** to fuse the three Ojamas together!" The three brothers each popped into existence with a distinctive "BOINK" sound before joining hands like synchronized swimmers. The crowd chuckled, and Mackenzie looked less than impressed, but Chazz pressed on. "Form **Ojama King (0/3000)**!"

The brothers began spinning wildly before rising in the air like a frisebee, their individual forms eventually disappearing in a halo of light. A moment later, a gigantic egg-shaped gremlin rocketed downwards in a piledriver, wearing a garish red superhero cape and a similarly colored speedo. It had those weird eye-antennae that Ojama Yellow had, and its mouth and teeth were hideously large. All in all, it was a thoroughly weird and bizarre creature, the complete opposite of Mackenzie's beautiful angels. Indeed, her nose crinkled at the very sight of this so-called king.

"He may not have any attack points, but even the weakest of cards become strong when I'm the one using them! When Ojama King is summoned, I can render three of your monster zones unusable!" Chazz explained. Mackenzie saw a red light blink on her duel disk in three of her monster zones, signaling that they were off-limits. It was very annoying, which was fitting as being annoying is what the Ojamas do best.

"And now, I'll play the spell card **Tri-Wight**! This lets me summon three level two or lower normal monsters from the graveyard! You get three guesses what they are, and the first two don't count." The three Ojamas used as materials for the fusion summon each took the field in defense mode, their knees bent. Ojama Green blew a raspberry at Mackenzie.

"It matters little if there are four gnats or four hundred, you still have no way of damaging me." Mackenzie pointed out.

"Did I say I was done? Because now I'll sacrifice Ojamas Green and Black!" The two little fiends disappeared into vapor, creating two pillars of white and black light.

"Behold, the totality and duality of all things! A true dragon with the powers of night and day! **Light and Darkness Dragon (2800/2400)**!" Two of Chazz's ace monsters were on the field now, the two-toned dragon flying above the Ojama King. The dark half of its body was thrown in sharp relief by the long lighting of the room, and Mackenzie looked upon it with desire.

XxXxXXXxXxXXxxxX

 _"Looks like he's finally summoned it…"_ Jesse grinned, chancing a look over at Chazz's field. _"His position is looking good...wonder if his opponent is as batshit crazy as mine."_

David ended his turn after attacking. He had a face-down and the Big Saturn on his side of the field. Jesse had little choice but to play defensively for the moment, as he had no way of overcoming the Big Saturn. Crystal Beasts had some useful effects, but they had notoriously low battle powers.

"I switch Topaz Tiger to defense mode, then I set another monster and a face-down." Jesse allowed a note of resignation into his voice so that David would think him defeated. The Crystal Beast duelist was a kind soul, but he was certainly capable of some cunning on the dueling field.

David seemed to fall for it hook, line, and sinker. "Hahaha, it's only a matter of time now! I summon **Machina Sniper (1800/800)**!" A bipedal robot with light brown plating and some sort of futuristic bolt action rifle mounted over its shoulder appeared.

"Let's go tiger hunting!" Without delay, the sniper took aim at the prone Topaz Tiger and fired off a shot, felling the beast instantly. "Aw, no!" Jesse feigned distress, despite the fact that David was playing right into his hand.

"And now, the Big Saturn attacks your set monster!" In a second, the rocket fist crossed the distance between the duelist and crushed Jesse's monster, which was **Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth (1700/600)**. Now, Jesse had three gems – Cobalt, Topaz, and Amber – in his spell zone, three continuous spells.

"Ha! You were bragging so much about those crystals of yours, but it looks like they're just taking up space if you ask me! Forget about matching my strength in battle, at this rate you won't have room for spell and trap cards! Admit it Anderson, you're beat!" David cackled.

To the American's great surprise, Jesse started laughing along with him. "I'll admit this – you are a pretty good duelist. My Crystal Beasts alone just can't match the raw attack power of your machines. But I got something that might."

Although he didn't stop chuckling, some curiosity crept into David's tone nonetheless. "Oh? Well, let us see it then. The audience wants to see battle, so give it to them!"

"As you say." Jesse drew his next card. " _This better work_!" Blue, gold, and orange power began emanating from the three gems, colored smoke rising in the air like incense. "You're in for a show today – a power not seen for hundreds of years!"

The gems exploded, shards of precious mineral flying across the dueling field. Once more, the skies darkened and thunder rolled across cumulonimbus clouds. "By sending three continuous spells from my field to the graveyard, I can summon a creature in a class of its own! A sacred beast!"

Thunder struck directly behind Jesse, casting his figure into silhouette. "The North may be covered in ice, but our duelists are like lightning. We strike hard and fast, before our opponents know what's coming! Come out, **Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder (4000/4000)**!"

The sacred beast was like a skeletal, demonic version of the Winged Dragon of Ra. Thin, fleshy fabric covered the gaps in its translucent, bony wings, and its carapace was sharp and angular. Its coloring was a sickly yellow. Far from the beauty and grace of Jesse's other monsters, this beast looked ugly and cruel, a pale imitation of a true god.

All traces of humor left David's face immediately like dust being swallowed up by a vacuum. The crowd was dead silent. "What the…no way, an Egyptian god?!"

"Not quite, but it's powerful enough that you won't be able to tell the difference." Jesse said with ground teeth. The beast's power was wild, force extending out in ever conceivable direction. He knew instinctively that if he lost control, this monster could cause massive destruction. But this was the only way to win. _"I need to end this now!"_

"Hamon, attack the Big Saturn with phantasmal thunder!" With a piercing screech, the faux-god shot a torrent of violent electricity at David's machine, overloading its circuits and causing it to explode from the inside – the Legendary planet had no way of competing against power like this, and in seconds chunks of shrapnel were flying in the air, the holograms dissipating whilst airborne. David gasped as the effects of the duel of darkness were turned against him. Now he was the one moaning in pain as the thunder burned him. **(Jesse 2600/David 1200)**

"And that's not all! When Hamon destroys a monster, you take an additional 1000 points of damage!" As his sacred beast began to charge up another lightning blast however, David sputtered in fear and anger. "What sort of power is this?"

"This is for your little Brokeback Mountain comment earlier!" Hamon loosed a bolt directly at David's chest, knocking him to the ground ignominiously. **(Jesse 2600/David 200)**

Jesse kept alert as David stumbled to his feet. The blond looked upon him with a new expression – was it respect, a healthy fear? Jesse didn't like to scare people. He would prefer that duels be clean and fun games between friends, and a way to strengthen his bond with his cards. But this fellow didn't seem to feel the same way, judging by what he had expressed up to this point.

" _How could a duelist fight like that and expect to win? His fear-based tactics might work against someone who knows his reputation and gets psyched out because of it, but not me. My bonds are way too strong to be cut down by a man like this!"_ Jesse thought with firming resolve.

"I see it now…behind your stupid cowboy outfit and goofy attitude, you're pretty dangerous. But I won't be caught off guard again." David said dangerously, staring down Hamon with a calculating expression.

XxXxXXxXxXxxXXxX

Briefly taking the measure of his friend's duel, Chazz eyed Mackenzie sharkishly. "You worried? Your brother's getting his ass kicked."

Mackenzie merely smiled back with cold politeness. "So it appears. But a sharp lesson might do him some good. His blood gets up in duels like these…it dulls his focus and makes him get carried away. He's rather like you in that respect." Chazz snarled, but she paid it no mind and continued, "This bears repeating; it is truly difficult to believe that such a beautiful dragon could find its way into your hands." Her words carried a hidden threat that Chazz did not miss.

"Well you better get used to the idea, because it's not leaving anytime soon! I've had enough, it's time to end this duel! Light and Darkness Dragon, attack her directly! Dark Baptism!" A black and white sphere of energy fired from the dragon's maw directly at Mackenzie. She stared it down unblinkingly, her hair fluttering every which way in the ensuing gale.

"Activate reverse card, **Waboku**! This card negates all damage and prevents my monsters from being destroyed for the rest of the turn." A transparent blue energy shield began to form around her body.

"Actually, it does nothing because my dragon negates it!" At the cost of losing some of its attack power, the dragon was able to break through the shield and continue its attack. However, Mac was far from done.

"I chain my other trap card, **Call of the Haunted**! This allows me to bring back Splendid Venus! And since it's chained to your dragon's effect, you can't negate it!" Chazz cursed as the golden angel reappeared on her side of the field, stopping his dragon's progress and forcing him to call off his attack.

"Damn it! To think she figured out the dragon's weakness so easily…" Chazz grunted.

"We all learned it the day you faced Jaden Yuki in the School Duel last winter. Your dragon is powerful, but its indiscriminate effect is a crippling weakness. My Splendid Venus is also a rather splendid counter to it. Now that it's back on the field, my own spell and traps cannot be negated, while yours will still be stopped by your own dragon's effect." She summarized.

 _"She's had my number this whole time…I can't believe this! There has to be a way to win somehow!"_ He thought doggedly. "Gah….I end there."

"Good. I think it's time to end this, don't you think?" She drew. "I activate **Enemy Controller** , allowing me to switch the battle position of one of your monsters. And again, this effect cannot be negated since Splendid Venus is on the field. I believe I will choose to switch your Ojama King, which has zero attack points, to attack mode."

Chazz could only watch helplessly as his fusion monster rose to its pudgy feet, a big open target, an egg to crack. Chazz gazed numbly, his arms falling limply to his side as the duel suddenly was ended. White noise crashed in his ears like waves on a shore – he didn't even hear her call the attack that finished it. He just saw a blinding flash of light that cleared his field, and then it was over. **(Chazz 0/Mackenzie 2600)**

"Ladies and gentlemen, it appears that the first of the two duels has reached its conclusion! Reggie Mackenzie has successfully defeated the northern challenger Chazz Princeton! Congratulations to both duelists for a hard-fought match!" The announcer called, the audience hearing little of the dialogue between the two duelists on stage. Neither of them were mic'd up or anything, so the crowd just saw ordinary people dueling. They had no idea what was transpiring just beyond their field of vision.

Chazz was no longer angry – he just felt empty, and exhausted. Despite the fact that this was just an exhibition match, he knew that there would be hell to pay for this later with his brothers. He had no doubt that his stock was falling all over again. How long would it take for the Northmen to turn against him, just like the Obelisks did? This felt just like the day he lost to Jamie Lancaster, back when he still wore that accursed blue uniform. The humiliation was like a wound reopened. His messy black hair hung over his eyes as he gave Mackenzie the perfunctory handshake expected of him. In reality, he would have rather struck her, but he held that dark urge back, barely.

The Ojamas were spouting something at him, but he wordlessly banished them away for the time being. He was in no mood for their stupid bullshit. In his jeans pocket, he already heard his phone began to vibrate, but made no move to answer it. Mechanically, he turned away from the stage and walked towards the entryway to watch the remainder of Jesse's duel from the shadows. Letting out a deep breath of resignation, he slumped against the wall and brushed his hair out of his eyes. His coal grey eyes focused dully on his friend's duel. Something felt amiss, but he couldn't put his finger on what.

XxXXXxXXXxxXXXxxXX

"Aw man, he's not gonna be happy about that." Jesse muttered, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. "His opponent must have been pretty strong. I guess that's why she's number one at this school though." The teal-haired boy saw David exchange a meaningful nod with his sibling, who descended from the arena to mass cheers from the student body. He heard their lips move and the faint sound of lowered voices, but he could not discern the words shared between them. He probably didn't want to know, if he was honest.

David was given a warning by the announcer for speaking with his sister, however briefly he did so. Jesse didn't really mind it – David either had the cards he needed to mount a defense or he didn't. That wouldn't change just because Mackenzie spoke maybe a dozen words to him, would it? Something about those two just gave him a weird vibe.

David drew his next card, and made a ponderous performance of looking over the few cards in his hand. It was so clearly exaggerated that Jesse felt somewhat insulted. More and more, he felt like he was an actor on a stage, and he didn't know his lines, the plot of the play, or the roles of the other actors.

"Oh no! There's nothing I can do against your all-powerful sacred beast! I'm afraid that I simply have no choice but to surrender! A well-fought game, sir." David said with faux-gallantry, and the audience let out a collective deflated sigh.

Jesse was baffled now. "What? No way, you shouldn't surrender. A duel's not over until the last card is played. Come on, let's play this out!" He implored. Jesse disliked surrendering, even in cases where it was expedient. He preferred to have the satisfaction of dealing the final blow and seeing the game to its conclusion.

"Truly, you have bested me today. Congratulations." David said, and the announcer made the call as he put his hand on his deck. The dark energy that was beginning to gather around them was drawn back to David's mysterious earring, like water to a drain. **(Jesse 2600/David 0)**

With a contented look on his face, David strode across the dueling arena and made to shake Jesse's hand. Jesse had no choice but to take it, and found that David's grip was strong – unnaturally strong. Under the brim of his hat, Jesse saw the man's blue irises flash with malice as his own hand was being crushed.

"Well done. We played our parts well and made for a good sideshow." David spoke as if they were sharing some inside joke, but Jesse didn't get it.

"The hell are you talking about?" The crystal beast user said, his voice devoid of its normal joviality.

"Just for future reference, remember that our business has nothing to do with you. In fact, if you don't dabble in our affairs, you may find yourself enjoying certain…externalities. Safe travels, Jesse Anderson." David's tone was somewhere between affable and demonic, and Jesse felt a trace of fear again. Suddenly, the American turned about-face and left to join his sister, who was being interviewed by a few local bloggers and dueling magazine writers.

Jesse walked away with the victory feeling wholly unsatisfied. "Man, what a weird day. If I never see that guy again, it'll be too soon." He muttered as he made his way to the challenger's entryway. Students were filing out of the stadium, and Jesse decided to use the bathroom before finding Chazz. When he did, nearly everyone had left already. His black-haired friend gave him a hard look, which Jesse expected.

"Hey man, from what I saw, it was a hard fought game. You win some, you lose some, right? Just learn what you can from this and you'll come out the other side stronger." Jesse said hopefully, trying to rouse his friend from his doldrums.

Chazz only shook his head. "Never mind that. Light and Darkness Dragon is gone."

Jesse gaped in disbelief. "How? I saw you summon it, it was with you just a few minutes ago!"

"I can't communicate with the spirit anymore, I can no longer hear it. I looked through my deck a minute ago and the card was gone. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but those two had something to do with it." He said, low with anger.

"Yeah, that David guy had some sort of dark power, the ability to cause real pain during a duel. It seemed to stem from his earring, the same kind that the girl Mackenzie was wearing." Jesse explained in turn. Slowly, they were piecing it together.

"Mackenzie had her eye on my dragon the whole time. Somehow, she could have used some power like that to steal it. One thing's for sure; those two aren't ordinary duelists. They might not even be fucking human. And you want to know what the best part is?" Chazz asked sarcastically.

Before Jesse could reply, Chazz answered his own question. "Their father is the headmaster of this academy."

Jesse knew that Chazz would go to the ends of the earth to get his dragon back. And he knew that somehow, someway, he was coming along for the ride. But how could they do so when they didn't even know the full extent of what they were up against? Jesse could sense something deep and dark bubbling up from beneath the surface, threatening to swallow them whole if they disturbed it.

In order to retrieve the dragon, they would have to stare back into that abyss.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **Something a little different this time around, as we catch up with Chazz's plotline, which is drawing heavily from the GX manga. In order to better understand what's going on here, I highly recommend readers check out the manga, it's a fairly short read at sixty-four chapters. I've been incorporating elements of it into the story since jump street, but this particular storyline is very manga-centric.**

 **The manga itself is sort of an AU to the GX anime, very similar to the Dragon Ball Super or Cowboy Bebop manga if you guys have read those. It uses most of the same characters, but there's an original plotline and the personalities of the characters are different as well. I wouldn't say the manga is better than the anime, but it's got great artwork and some interesting concepts. Here are a few of my thoughts on the manga.**

 **PROS**

 **\- Chazz, Atticus, and Syrus' characterizations (Atticus is actually a good duelist! Imagine my shock!)**

 **\- Plotline ties back to Ancient Egypt and the original series.**

 **\- Very nice artwork and original character designs.**

 **\- The characters are a lot more strategy-focused and the duels are generally well thought-out.**

 **\- The card designs are all very good, specifically Tragodeia, the Legendary Planets, and Light and Darkness Dragon.**

 **\- Misawa is treated slightly better (he actually gets a few W's and his deck is sick), although his characterization is bland.**

 **\- Masked Heroes and Vision Heroes are awesome.**

 **CONS**

 **\- There is a general lack of character moments, leading to most of the cast feeling a bit bland and underdeveloped. The storytelling is almost too economical, and rushes into duels too quickly at the expense of hype/buildup.**

 **\- The treatment of the foreign exchange students (Jesse, Axel, Adrian, and especially Jim) is appalling. All four are great characters in the anime and they are basically one-note minor antagonists in the manga. The fact that Jesse uses a fucking insect deck is inexcusable. Jim being evil is completely inexcusable. None of them get a fifth of the characterization and depth they get in the anime.**

 **\- The story is way too focused on tournaments. Nearly all of the series is taken up by two tournament story arcs. Then again, this could be said of the original series as well if you discount filler. I like tournaments, and they're a Yugioh staple, but having two back to back and having them take up a vast majority of panel time gets to be a bit tiresome.**

 **\- Alexis gets no solo wins and loses a lot, which makes her position as an Obelisk Blue highly questionable. She also tends to lose in rather humiliating fashion. I mean for fuck's sake.**

 **\- The main villain's plan is needlessly complex.**

 **But anyways, the manga is an interesting read if you like Yugioh at all, so I endorse checking it out if you haven't. Not sure how many people have read it.**

 **Apart from that, readers may notice that the Chazz/Mackenzie duel plays out similarly to a certain Dragon Ball fight, what with an arrogant rival character facing off against a cool, collected blonde woman. Chazz's ego causes him to bite off more than he can chew a lot of the time, although you can be sure that he will seek revenge on Mackenzie for both defeating him and stealing his dragon, which she did using the mysterious power in her earring. We'll find out more about that later. I find Chazz to be an interesting POV character, because he's not exactly a "good guy", and he's prone to a lot of self-pity and cockiness, but there is that grain of respectability to be found in his struggle, I think.**

 **I will also put up Chazz and Jesse's character mixes in my profile shortly after posting this, so check that out if you'd like.**

 **Next time, we will catch up with Jamie and Bastion as they apply for their summer internships at KaibaCorp! Seto Kaiba makes his glorious return next time. And once again, thank you for reading and your continued support.**


	29. Coffee's For Closers

Chapter 29: Coffee's For Closers

 **Songs**

 **Yu-Gi-Oh Duelists of the Roses OST – Vs. Yorkists**

 **Dragon Ball FighterZ OST – Vegeta's Theme**

 **Modestep & Koven – Take It All**

 **Fallout Boy – Coffee's For Closers**

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

"You've grown up a lot, son. Seems that school's done some good for you, judging by your improved grades." Tobias Lancaster, father of Jamie Lancaster, said with terse sentimentality at the Domino City airport. He shook my hand and I shook back, avoiding direct eye contact by focusing on his nose. It was a rather unremarkable nose, in case you were curious.

"We're so happy to see you again, honey bun!" said Joanna Lancaster, Jamie's mother, as she gave me a hug. She had the same bright green eyes as me, though her hair was the shade of autumn wheat, a pleasant golden blonde. I had Tobias' brown hair, though he was balding and had an extremely short cut.

"It's great to see you both again, mom and dad!" Each lie was more hideous than the last, and shame churned in my belly like spoiled milk. Why did the gods rob these parents of their only child? If Yubel's words were true and the gentle darkness brought me here, why did it make me Jamie Lancaster? There was nothing gentle about this, it was cruel and perverse. Or perhaps the darkness is only gentle in comparison to the light, the brutal Light of Destruction that brainwashes and corrupts the hearts of men in order to destroy life. It doesn't make a difference in the end, both are malicious and misanthropic forces that only seem to bring about misery.

I told my parents much on the ensuing car ride back to the Lancaster home, and even more over dinner later. Obviously I omitted everything supernatural, but I was able to speak genuinely about the friendships I had formed, and my rise through the ranks of Obelisk Blue.

Zane had graduated after a thrilling final match with Jaden Yuki, a match which ended up being a draw, as it was in canon. Every pro dueling sponsor wanted to scoop him up, but for the moment he was choosing to go independent and make a name for himself first in the arena, so that when the time came to be sponsored, he could wring those corporations out of every last dollar he could. His first televised match would be in a week's time – no rest for the wicked.

And now that the Kaiser had flown the coop, there was an existing vacancy for number one duelist at Central Academy. That was a gap I meant to finally and totally close. The shadow riders were defeated, and we only lost two keys (though the beasts were gone in the end anyways). It was time to start thinking about the rest of my life, and the time was now to start working towards building some credentials. Is it arrogant, to pursue the number one spot so fervently? The answer is yes, and my response is so what? There's nothing wrong with trying to reach a high goal. People will certainly criticize me for it, but so what? People will criticize anyone for any reason, so why even be concerned about it?

Needless to say, Tobias and Joanna were very excited to hear of my upcoming interview at KaibaCorp on Friday. Joanna fretted greatly about what to wear, and how I should cut my hair (it was getting too long to be professional) while Tobias starting reciting job interview tips and tricks he doubtless read in some disposable Forbes article.

Imagine my shock when Tobias casually asked me how "that Black Soldier or whatever" card was working out. I had always wondered where this boy got a copy of Black Luster Soldier, Envoy of the Beginning, since it was such a rare card in this realm. Apparently his father won it in a sweepstakes hosted by Industrial Illusions, and gifted it to Jamie on his last birthday…his last birthday before I came into the picture. I wasn't sure if it was better or worse that the boy was doted on by his parents – maybe it would have been easier if he wasn't so beloved.

What happened to that boy? The real Jamie Lancaster, I mean…did he die by the hand of the gods, swatted like a fly? Or was he somewhere else? Whenever I looked upon the faces of these proud parents, or thought about them, the same questions just came back.

And what about me? I'm not completely who Jamie was, nor the man I used to be…I just don't know. Professor Banner's words came back again – _"We are all fish swimming in an ocean of infinite paths…"_

XxXxXXXXxXXxxxxXXXXx

The next few days passed uneventfully. I was slow to rise in the mornings, always waking up with the names of my real family on my lips. On the worst days, I would even think of _her_ again., the girl that I lost everything for back in my old life. On this day, the day of the interview, I rose an hour before my alarm was set to go off after a bad dream. Sneaking downstairs, I poured myself a cup of light roasted coffee from the percolator that Tobias prepared the previous evening. Sitting alone in the kitchen, I watched the dawn while sipping the dark drink, stone-faced.

I needed this to turn out– working for Harrington Rosewood was getting old. Not that working at Rosewood Sporting Goods itself is bad, but working for Harry long enough would cause anybody who had the ability to quit to do so, as he was an asshole. Ideally I'd like to work independently someday, either in the pro leagues or somewhere else, but this was just an internship, and KaibaCorp wouldn't be a bad place to establish some experience.

For a time, my mind drifted to older days, better days in some respects. Worse in others. What was I supposed to do, not think of the old life? Pretend it never existed? Cast aside my old ties completely? Was that the way of it? Was I wrong for keeping the past alive in my memory? It made me terribly sad – there are many words for it, but the simplicity of sadness was the most fitting. Was that weakness?

I wore a recently bought suit – black jacket and pants, white shirt, and solid red tie. I expected I might have been slightly overdressed, but you can never be too sure with Kaiba, and it's always better to be overdressed than underdressed. My hair was shorn short again, a simple summer cut that let a slight amount of bangs over my forehead while the sides and back were razored short.

Bastion made it to the station before me, having the same idea as me. He wore a light gray suit with a white shirt and a yellow tie, perhaps to represent his house. It made him look rather like a university professor, whereas my look was more reminiscent of a politician.

"Jamie," He greeted with a smile that didn't completely mask his nerves. "Good to see you, we didn't get the chance to hang out much at the end of term."

"It went by quickly." I shook his hand. "It's good to see you too. How is Jasmine?"

"She is...a bit nervous. Later this afternoon, she has an interview at Café la Geen." He admitted with a chuckle.

"The coffee shop?" I asked mechanically, despite the fact that I knew perfectly well what he was referring to. It was one of my favorite spots in the city to grab a cup of joe and relax. In the past few days, it had become a home base of sorts as I learned how to navigate Domino City. I spent a solid afternoon poring over the city map in that coffee shop.

"Yes, do you go there often?" He asked, and I nodded, a curdled expression on my face. "Well, maybe you might see her there! I'm sure she'll ace her interview!" Bastion didn't seem to really pick up on Jasmine and I's mutual dislike – either that or he was trolling me, but that wasn't really Bastion's style.

"Oh, I'm sure she will." I said wryly as we boarded our train. I was torn between wanting to avoid the coffee shop altogether or perhaps stopping by there more often, as it was fun to verbally spar with her. But such things were the least of my concerns, the looming Kaibacorp tower reminding me of that.

Forty-eight other applicants were among us as we stood in the courtyard outside the tower. There were slightly more girls than boys, and there was little in the way of idle talk –on the contrary, everyone seemed to be sizing up each other, doubtless making all sorts of frantic appraisals in their head. None of them stood out – the outfits and hairstyles were perfectly chosen for the occasion. What's more, their eyes were all the same – closed off, cold, like sharks.

I had to chuckle, internally – I never felt I had it in me to be a ruthless career striver, and yet I found myself in the company of those who clearly were. I wanted to make a name for myself, true, but the interview etiquette, the networking (a detestable term), and the soft power plays were something I could do, but would rather avoid. Bastion definitely seemed to be out of his element, but luckily he did not make the mistake of trying to talk to anyone. His social awkwardness actually served him in this situation, for it made him seem aloof and above it all.

A fountain with a statue of a Blue-Eyes White Dragon sat in the center of a paver patio, the dragon's mouth pouring out water into the basin. Well-kept shrubs and trees starkly dotted the otherwise completely modern landscape. It was going to be a miserably hot day – the humidity already dulled the senses, and wearing a suit was going to be unbearable soon.

Fortunately, before long a man wearing a dark grey suit and a sky blue tie opened the big glass front doors. His appearance was unremarkable and his eyes were obscured by sunglasses, but his words quickly grabbed our attention. "Would all of the summer internship applicants follow me, please?"

Bastion and I were the last to trail in as the others were walking as fast as they possibly could without outright running. The atrium looked like something out of science fiction – holographic screens were hanging in the air, with news stories and articles being displayed upon them. Blue light peeked through the tiles, and our footsteps caused brief imprints of light on the floor, as if there was chalk on the soles of our shoes. The room was also strangely dark, with the floor being the only source of light.

We applicants, as well as our guide, seemed to be the only people here. Where were the workers? Wasn't this building normally used for business? I didn't get a good look at it during the entrance exam, but I assumed so. There was a tense silence as our expectations were cast into doubt.

"Man, this is weird, huh?" I said a little too loudly to Bastion, causing a few of the other applicants to give me a dirty look. Meanwhile, the Ra Yellow prodigy was busy inspecting the floor lights, wondering how they worked.

We waited for a few minutes more, the tension growing thicker, until suddenly the room was bathed in bright white light, blinding us momentarily as our eyes were used to the semidarkness.

The ceiling lights were so damn bright you could perform surgery, but that became the least of my concerns as I observed three men walking down a staircase that lead to the atrium where we were standing. Two of them were simply dressed guards with sunglasses and cold expressions. The third was Kaiba himself, dressed in a snowy white suit with a light blue tie. He held a briefcase in one hand, and his expression was the same as always – sneering and imperious. He was a tall bastard too, easily six-foot-one.

"Let me have your attention for a moment." He said to the dead-silent group of kids, as if there was any chance of him being ignored. He could have ordered this lot to start doing jumping jacks and they would have asked how many.

"Here's how this whole process is going to go. There are fifty of you, and yes I only let fifty people interview because it is a nice, clean number. You each will have three minutes to explain to me individually why you are not a piece of literal trash."

You could have heard a pin drop. A few confused and even humorous expressions arose on some of the stupider applicants faces. Surely this was a joke, right?

"Do you think I'm fucking with you?" Kaiba said blandly, standing at the bottom of the stairwell with his arms behind his back. His eyes roved across the crowd, judging. "I am not fucking with you. You see, what Kaibacorp considers average is not what the world considers average. Another provider, another family, some menial job and an easygoing life which preserves the status quo…this is completely fucking unacceptable at my company. PUT. THAT COFFEE. DOWN." Kaiba's voice suddenly rose to a yell, and his eyes swiveled to a red-haired girl who was sipping some kind of iced coffee. She was visibly shaking, and had no choice but to set her drink on the floor.

"Coffee is for closers. It's for the people who innovate, who build, and who pave the way for the infinite future! That is living, and only the living need coffee!" Every word was heavy with purpose – how could this man have such disdain for humanity as a whole, and yet be such an idealist? "And if you're not doing that, then you're basically a decomposing sack of meat and blood, with some bones to keep it all standing. What word describes such a state better than trash?"

"I don't have to listen to this shit." One guy folded already, which made me wonder why even bothered showing up in the first place. Kaiba didn't exactly have a reputation for being soft and cuddly. In fact, I'm pretty sure he just called the vast majority of the human race trash. Can't say I'm surprised – this is the same man who orchestrated a series of murderous theme park games in an effort to kill his main rival, a task which included strapping electric chairs to a rollercoaster. Yeah, the manga was pretty fucked up in the earlier chapters.

"You certainly don't, pal. Now get the fuck out of my building before I release the hounds on your pathetic ass." Kaiba pointed towards the door. The boy abandoned all pretenses of dignity and starting running for the exit, whimpering as he did so. Kaiba watched him go before continuing.

"Anyways, where was I? Oh, yes, the interview. Now that you have a better idea of the sort of person I want working for me, you will get the chance to sell your pitch. I want people whose hearts beat with a purpose and want to build the future. I want people who aren't afraid to take what they want! In short, I want people with BRASS BALLS."

"This internship will be hard fucking work, there's no denying it. If you don't like the sound of a little hard work, then leave! But if you stay you'll come out the other side with experience and most importantly, _money" -_ Kaiba practically shuddered with pleasure as he said the word – "which will put you ten million steps ahead of your peers. Exactly. Ten. Million. Now then, there are forty-nine of you, of course that asshole had to ruin my nice, perfect fifty… so this process should take about….eh, whatever forty-nine times three is."

The walls suddenly opened up, as if we were in the Batcave or something. Clean, cushy benches unfolded from the wall, long enough to seat all of us comfortably. I was still reeling from the speech. It was completely fucking insane of course, but I had to admit that Kaiba's relentless mentality was the main tool that got him this far, and I could understand it. His will was absolute, and if putting up with some mean words was what it took to earn the kind of money he was talking about, then I could do that.

"We will proceed in alphabetical order by surname, so that should give you a good idea of when you'll be shooting your shot. And by the way, don't go over three minutes." With that, Kaiba swept from the room, ascending the stairs quickly and leaving us dumbfounded.

One of the guards went with him, while the other remained behind. Pressing a button on his phone, a holographic screen expanded in front of him and showed an Excel spreadsheet. It took me a while, but I finally recognized him as Roland, Kaiba's ever-present right hand man. Considering it's been ten years since Battle City, Roland must have been in Kaiba's employ at least that long. I wonder what it would be like, working for such a man that long.

"Darling Adagio, you will be the first to interview. Follow me, please." The girl with the strange name looked frightened and confused from Kaiba's speech – couldn't blame her. At least Bastion and I would have some time to gather our thoughts, since our last names were in the middle of the alphabet.

Bastion and I took our seats. I would be up before him, and he looked glad for that. With an ashen expression, he said "Jamie, I'm not so sure about this anymore. I knew Kaiba was off his rocker, but I didn't know he was this crazy!"

"Relax, it's probably just a performance to scare off the faint of heart. Like the coffee girl." I tilted my head towards the girl in question, who had hesitantly grabbed her drink off the floor and was now taking tentative sips of it, as if Kaiba would emerge from the walls at any moment and snatch it from her hands. "The main thing to remember about Kaiba is that he respects audacity. When you're in that office, act like you already own the world, and you might just have it in your hands. He doesn't like shyness or humility, because he believes that all people are basically power-hungry scum at heart and any goodness is just a façade."

"I heard that he holds some care for children – why else would he build Kaiba Land?" Bastion brought up. "Plus, KaibaCorp is on record supporting various local orphanages."

"You're right, but now that we're in here, he doesn't think of us as kids. It might be a good idea to bring up how we helped save his school from a traitorous superintendent. I've heard that he's had to deal with a lot of betrayals in his career." I responded, and Bastion saw sense in that.

"There was also that fiasco with Wheeler." The Ra Yellow said, the gears in his mind spinning hard and fast. Wow, I had nearly forgot about that. "So perhaps that will be enough to make us stand out. Plus, you're an Obelisk Blue, so that might be something."

I nodded. "We'll be alright. Just show no weakness."

Briskly, the line grew shorter, and before long I couldn't help but notice that none of the applicants were coming back out. They went up the stairs with Roland, entered the office, and then they didn't leave. What the hell is going on here, exactly?

"Jamie Lancaster," Roland betrayed a slight sign of surprise as he said my name, "follow me, please."

Nodding to Bastion one last time, I quickly trailed behind Roland. I nearly tripped once on the stairs, but I played it off as best I could. He opened the door to the office for me before going inside himself.

Kaiba sat down with his fingers steepled. There was no chair on my side of the desk, so I was had no choice but to stand. Roland stood off to the side like a statue, perfectly unmoving.

Cat-green eyes met wintry blue, and Kaiba started laughing arrogantly. "Oh yes, do you remember this idiot, Roland? This was the one who thought he could leverage his way into the internship with the whole Wheeler incident. And now he stands before me, trying to get the job the honest way."

I was already pissed, but I kept my anger under control. "I recall you sympathizing with my efforts at the time, sir. You even said you would have done the same in my position." That wasn't my proudest moment, to be sure. But there was no going back now.

"Oh, is that a fact?" Kaiba said mockingly.

"…Yeah, it is." I said, thrown a bit off-guard by the question.

"Well good, because I agree with that. You should do whatever you can to further your position. Sadly, you underestimated my ability to cover up my tracks."

"…Have my three minutes already started, sir?" I asked in low voice.

Kaiba actually looked a bit surprised before reaching over to his stopwatch, which was positioned so I could see how much time had passed. "Now it has."

"Mister Kaiba, I am here today interviewing for the personal secretary position. I am an Obelisk Blue freshman and am in the top five of my class academically. I am proficient with Microsoft Office and have good organizational skills –"

"Never mind that." Kaiba interrupted. "You were one of the seven key keepers, weren't you?"

"Yes, sir. I defeated the Shadow rider Camula in five turns. With the assistance of the Slifer Red duelist Jaden Yuki, I also defeated their leader, Kagemaru." I gave the canned answer I prepared.

"Saved me the trouble of killing him myself." Kaiba said casually. "From what I gather, he meant to conquer this planet and live forever as an immortal. How foolish. Even if by some miracle he managed to defeat me, I know of someone else who would never let his rampage go unopposed."

" _Yugi."_ I thought. Such power those two syllables held! Now that I was in this world, where dueling was a matter of life and death, it was difficult not to think of Yugi as a titan, an indefatigable force of nature that must not be broached lightly.

"Traitors….it seems that I am surrounded by them day and night, their noses sniffing for some whiff of opportunity, their eyes searching for any scrap of power they can find. Ever since I was a child, I have been surrounded by foes and false friends. What those smirking worms don't understand is that loyalty, true loyalty, is like water in the desert for me, and I treasure it thusly. Why, Roland here has been my loyal man since I was a boy, and before that he worked for my stepfather. For thirty years, he has assisted the Kaiba family. In that time, he has married a Brazilian supermodel and has fathered six fine children, none of them wanting for anything in this world. He owns a vacation home in Florida and recently drove off the lot with a new Escalade." Kaiba stated. "That is the fruit of loyalty."

Roland's expression remained unchanged, but he bowed his head nonetheless. Kaiba said to me, "I have looked over your resume, and your professors speak most highly of you, Crowler in particular. It is good that you have his ear, since he will be the new headmaster of Central Duel Academy this coming fall. Crowler may look like a fucking fairy, but he's got a bigger pair of balls than Sheppard ever did, and he showed great bravery in his duty as a key keeper. I understand he nearly lost his life battling the traitor Banner."

"It's true, sir." I was starting to wonder what the point of this long, drawn-out speech was. I knew that Kaiba liked to hear himself talk, but the bastard was using up my three minutes!

"In short, this process is a formality. A man of your ambition and talent should not be spending his summers flipping burgers. But that does not mean that this interview is over. Answer this question." The clock hit three minutes, and Kaiba turned it off. I looked at him blankly.

"Do you think yourself a duelist, Jamie Lancaster?"

I nodded.

"Hmph!" Kaiba leaned back, fixing me with a cool stare. "We shall see. And one more thing." His left hand reached underneath his desk.

I perceived it a moment before it actually happened. The floor beneath me gave out, and I barely managed to scurry away in time. Leaping back, I saw that I had been standing on a trap door the whole time, the panels swinging on hinges ominously. The hole was deep and dark, and there was no way of knowing where it went.

I couldn't hide my horrified expression, no matter how hard I tried. Did this son of a bitch just try to kill me?

"Relax, Lancaster, this is merely a garbage chute that leads to our main dumpster. And yes, it is where the other applicants have gone. Don't worry, they can see themselves out just fine. Good to see you have some wits about you."

XxXxXxXxXXXXxXxXXXxxxx

I wordlessly left the office after that, not waiting for any further tricks. Kaiba was a terrible man, I realized numbly. " _Terrible yes,"_ a darker corner of my mind whispered, _"but great."_

He claimed to reward loyalty, at least. Having any support from Kaiba in the future, especially against the Society of Light and Yubel, could make all the difference in the world. It didn't matter if he was a douche, what mattered was the mission.

There was a name in-between mine and Bastion's – more fodder for the garbage chute, I guess. The remaining applicants looked surprised that I had actually returned and began muttering amongst themselves.

"How did it go?" Bastion asked hastily. "Quickly, tell me what you can."

"Bring up the Shadow Riders and how you were a key keeper. He seems to respect duelists – obviously - so be passionate about dueling. Talk about your relevant skills if you have time. You were applying for Research and Development, right?"

"Yes. I believe my expertise and knowledge should set me apart, but we shall see. I just have to make it through three minutes." Bastion surmised.

"If you take longer than three minutes, he will open a trapdoor that leads to the dumpster." I said, and I had to laugh because it was so ridiculous.

Bastion looked skeptical, but then took a breath and nodded in acceptance. "I'll be careful. Gods, Jamie, this sort of thing really isn't my specialty."

"You'll be fine, man. You've faced life or death battles, you can do this. Like you said, it's only three minutes, and then we're in the clear."

I should have known I was tempting fate when I said that.

Soon enough, Bastion was called up, and he actually came back as well, which was theoretically a good sign. I asked him how the interview went, but for once he was quiet. Bastion was one of the most long-winded people I had ever met, apart from Kaiba himself of course. That he was this stone-faced was uncharacteristic. It looked as though he was deep in thought, and I had to wonder what Kaiba said that put Bastion in such a state.

The rest of the applicants went up, the last one looking like he was going to the gallows. Into the trash they went. Finally, it was just Bastion and I left in the hall. You could cut the tension with a knife.

After a few minutes, the benches began folding back into the wall, and Bastion and I had to quickly rise to avoid getting hurt. We were both on high alert, not trusting anything about the situation.

Kaiba and Roland emerged from the office and began to descend the stairs slowly. The briefcase was back in his hand.

"Bastion Misawa, Jamie Lancaster. When I asked you if you were duelists, you both replied in the affirmative. You have both fought with your lives on the line against the Shadow Riders, so you should know the answer to this question. What is dueling?" Kaiba boomed.

I moved to cut off Bastion, who would probably say "the application of formula" or some such nonsense. Kaiba would eviscerate him if he said anything like that. "It's a battle." I said.

"That's right!" Kaiba roared. "Whether it is by swords or chess pieces, guns or cards, games are merely another way to wage war. Do you know what God gave people so they could play games in this world? A single chip called life!"

He opened the briefcase. Inside were three Battle City model duel disks, along with ten forty-card deck slots. Of course, why would I expect anything different, anything less absurd?

"You two brought your decks, as instructed?" He asked as comprehension dawned on both of our faces. I should have realized this the moment the application asked me to bring my cards! I brought both the Divas and my public deck, but there was no way I could use the Divas here. Kaiba would probably take them away from me by force.

We were each given a duel disk. "This is the final stage of your interview! If you truly wish to achieve the great heights KaibaCorp can offer, then you will fight me as if your very life depends on it!"

No fucking way! "Wha…duel Seto Kaiba? I never calculated for this possibility!" Bastion shared my abject shock. Even working together, beating the second greatest duelist of all time was a bit of a tall order.

"Is i then, mister Kaiba?" My voice came across calmer than I actually felt.

"Yes, it will be. I will start out with 4000 life points, while the both of you will share a 4000 life point total. I wish to see if you both truly carry the fiery will of a true duelist!" Kaiba activated his duel disk.

Bastion looked a bit nervous, to say the least. "Jamie, our odds of actually beating Seto Kaiba are nearly 50000 to one!"

"First of all, I have no idea how you could possibly calculate the odds on that, logistically speaking. Second, it doesn't matter what the odds are, our only chance at getting this job is if we duel! So that's what we're gonna do!" I turned my own disk on, Bastion doing the same shortly thereafter.

"But…he's the White Dragon! The legendary rival to the king of games!" Bastion protested, his fear overtaking him.

"That doesn't matter! He might be a legendary duelist, but he's also just a man! If we work together and fight hard, we can win! My last duel was als 1, where everything was at stake, and Jaden and I managed to beat the odds! So let's fight, Bastion!" I tried to sound courageous, but as much as I hated to admit it, our chances of winning this were slim. But he had no choice but to try.

Bastion swallowed his fear and put on a brave face before nodding at me. Kaiba looked at us with faint amusement, the same way a lion would gaze upon two mice.

"I suppose you think that this is unfair, that none of the others had to do this. And you would be right, for a duelist must always be prepared to prove himself!"

It was decided that I would go first. I still couldn't believe that this was happening, but at the same time, I was a little excited. How would I stack up to Kaiba? What if I could actually beat him? Anything's possible if I draw the right cards and he doesn't.

"I set a monster along with two face-downs." I said simply, not wasting any time. Bastion and I shared a field, as well as a life point total. It was different than the fight against Kagemaru, where Jaden and I operated mostly independently of each other. Here, Bastion and I were truly in the same boat. We could see the set cards the other one set, and we could also see each other's hand.

Kaiba drew with a flourish – even after many years, he still held on to duelist pageantry. "Since I control no monsters, I can special summon **Kaiser Vorse Raider (1900/1200)** from my hand!" An orc with blue skin and a studded double-sided axe crashed onto the field. To no one's surprise, it seemed that Kaiba would be striking hard and fast with a beatdown strategy. However, since it was his first turn, he could not attack.

"Then, I set a monster and a face-down! Take your turn!" He bellowed intensely. Bastion was startled for a moment before drawing.

"I summon **Armageddon Knight (1400/1200)** in attack mode!" Ah, so he was playing either his dark deck or his zombie deck. A black knight rode onto the field, a crimson scarf covering most of his face and a dueling sabre in his hand. "When this card is summoned, I can send a dark monster from my deck to the graveyard."

The sent monster was Ryu Kokki, so I figured this must have been his zombie deck. Interesting. I can certainly work with this, since having dark monsters in the graveyard will make it easier to summon my Chaos Sorcerer and Black Luster Soldier. _"The card my father gave me…"_ I thought with a pang of sadness before persisting.

"I set a card and end my turn." Bastion finished shakily.

Kaiba drew his next card and started to cackle arrogantly. "That was your one and only chance to mount a defense. I hope it was enough! My draw!"

"It's like looking in the mirror! Here comes **Kaibaman (200/700)**!" The next creature was the spitting image of Kaiba himself, as the name would suggest. The only difference was that the monster was wearing an angular white helmet that reminded me disturbingly of Griffith's from Berserk. But there was no time to think of manga references – I knew what Kaibaman's effect was, and so I could infer that we were officially in deep doo-doo.

"I almost regret having to call on you to deal with such trash…but at least allow these wretches a moment of beauty before they are defeated! I activate Kaibaman's effect, tributing it to summon an incredible creature of unsurpassed power and beauty!"

"I summon **Blue-Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500)**!"

Specks of light scattered everywhere, like miniature stars, before a burst of blinding photons flooded the room, momentarily blinding Bastion and I. From a sphere of light came the legendary beast, its hide pale as milkglass and its eyes as piercing and intense as Kaiba's own. He was right – the Blue-Eyes was a uniquely beautiful creature, its form surprisingly lithe, yet coiled with power.

"Ah, no way! On the second turn!" Bastion stammered.

"Stand your ground! It's just a big beatstick, we can defeat it!" I barked, although I too was beginning to realize just how screwed we were. The dragon roared at us, freezing me to the spot.

"HAHAHAHA….ah, it feels so good to laugh. Now then, Blue-Eyes –" He spoke to the dragon with a gentle caress, as if to a lover – "destroy his Armageddon Knight."

The burst stream of destruction washed over Bastion's swordsman like waves on a shore – in exactly one second his monster was obliterated. We had face-downs, but we did not use them yet. **(Jamie-Bastion 2400/Kaiba 4000)**

"Kaiser Vorse Raider, attack Lancaster's face-down monster!" The brutish orc leapt forward with a jumping slash, bringing its axe down violently at my defense. However, the beast found its weapon entangled in a mass of pink gum, and it struggled to extricate itself. He made the mistake of attacking my **Marshmallon (300/500),** a monster that was getting out of more tight spots all the time.

Kaiba twitched in annoyance. It seemed that he recognized this card from somewhere – perhaps Yugi used it against him at some point in these past ten years. It's hard for me to believe those two didn't clash at least once. For now, though, I had to focus on this match.

Kaiba's monster returned to his side of the field. "I hate to mar your perfect victory, but since you attacked Marshmallon, you take 1000 points of damage, mister Kaiba."

"I know!" He said snappishly. The pink ball of gum rushed forward and tackled him, taking a nice chuck out of his LP total. **(Jamie-Bastion 2400/Kaiba 3000)**

"Incredible…you actually inflicted some damage to Seto Kaiba! Jolly good show, Jamie!" Bastion cheered.

"See, I told you we could win! Let's keep it up!" I responded with a clenched fist. It did feel more possible now than it did before, at the very least.

Kaiba's tone was between an amused laugh and an animalistic snarl. "An irksome trap, nothing more. End turn."

I drew, feeling as though I had just poked a bear. "I set another monster and end my turn." I said simply, having few other options.

"Is that truly it? Such defenses won't hold up forever! Vorse Raider, smite his set monster!"

Again, the offense was stymied. This time, the Vorse Raider crossed blades with my **Spirit Reaper (300/200),** a weak zombie that couldn't be destroyed by battle.

"An amusing strategy Lancaster, but you do realize that you actually have to attack in order to win, unless you're playing Final Countdown or some such nonsense." The CEO said with an acerbic smirk.

"Actually, I'm playing Exodia." I replied facetiously. Bastion nearly laughed, but caught himself just in time, causing a strangled snort to escape his lips. The smirk slipped from Kaiba's lips like snow from a windowsill.

"I set a card and end my turn." He snarled.

"My go!" said Bastion. "Jamie, I know you'll want a light and dark monster in the graveyard, but I'm gonna need to banish some things this turn."

"Do whatever you need to do."

"I will!" the Ra Yellow said with heightened resolve. "First, I activate **Foolish Burial** to send a monster from my deck to the graveyard!"

As I looked at the display on my duel disk, I noticed that we now had three dark monsters exactly in the grave. And if I remembered correctly…that meant we had a good chance of winning now! "Let's go, Bastion!"

Now of all times, I was glad that he overcame his fear. "I banish three dark monsters from the graveyard, which allows me to summon a beast with blades as black as midnight, a dragon that will blot out your own light, mister Kaiba! Come forth, **Dark Armed Dragon (2800/1000)**!"

A hellish volcano of dark energy burst from the ground, the emerging creature a shadowy mirror of Chazz's ace monster, the Armed Dragon LVL 7. The comparison was distasteful to me, but I could at least rest assured knowing that this monster was more powerful than Chazz's. It was a sharp contrast to the glowing simplicity of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon – the Dark Armed Dragon boasted an intricate, detailed design, with spikes and swords ensconced all around its body.

Kaiba let out a single scoff. "You believe a monster like that can defeat me? I hope you are prepared to back up that claim, boy!"

"I will! Dark Armed Dragon, destroy his Kaiser Vorse Raider with dark sonic disk!" Bastion declared, the beast letting loose a volley of thin energy blades at Kaiba's monster. Something about this seemed like we were falling into a trap, but we had no choice but to attack eventually, and we had face downs of our own.

"Activate reverse card, **Shrink**!" Kaiba responded. I expected that the Dark Armed Dragon would have its stats cut in half, which is why I had my own Shrink face-down. However, he chose a different target – his own Vorse Raider. The orc grew miniscule before the dragon. Bastion and I both groaned, because we were both familiar with this strategy.

"And then, I will play **Crush Card Virus**!" A plague of toxins consumed the Vorse Raider and burst forth onto the field. "Since my Vorse Raider is a dark monster with less than a thousand attack points, I can use him as a sacrifice for this virus! It destroys all monsters on your field with over 1500 attack points. Furthermore, if you draw any monsters with over 1500 attack points for the next three turns, then they are also destroyed!" The plague ate apart the Dark Armed Dragon while leaving my Spirit Reaper and Marshmallon unharmed.

Bastion was crestfallen as Kaiba laughed. "So much for your little offensive!" I grumbled. Hopefully I wouldn't draw my Black Luster Soldier in the next three turns, if we lasted that long. My friend ended his turn, meaning it was time for Kaiba to take another pass at us.

"Draw. Now then, I think it's time we end this ridiculous farce, don't you?" then he turned to me. "Though I will say this much. Your idea of turtling behind defensive monsters until you can bring out your big gun is a rather interesting one. Normally, it would prove rather effective against my own dueling style."

I gulped, knowing that he probably had something to break my defense now. His eyes flashed as he turned over a card in his hand. "I activate Enemy Controller! This card allows me to switch one of your monster's battle positions. I think it's time for your Marshmallon to get roasted!" As he spoke, Marshmallon was forced into attack mode, its squishy body no longer serving as any kind of shield.

"Now, I summon **Slate Warrior (1900/400)** in attack mode!" His next monster was a bizarre blue-skinned humanoid with yellow armor covering the bulk of its body, including the lower half of its mouth.

"Say goodbye to your careers, losers! Blue-Eyes, strike his Marshmallon with white lightning!" The white-hot laser streaked towards my weak monster.

"I activate **Mirror Force**!" I cried out, using Bastion's face-down. I wouldn't go down like just another weakling, another piece of fodder! The attack was caught by a net of energy and began to reflect back at Kaiba's field.

"WRONG! I chain **Trap Jammer** to negate your Mirror Force!" He countered. The beam broke through the mirror and continued its deadly arc.

It was a pointless gesture of defiance, but I chose to use my other face-down. "I play Shrink to halve your precious Blue-Eyes attack!" The laser blasted apart my Marshmallon nonetheless, but at least it wasn't a fatal blow, and he would have to use his Slate Warrior, a monster he held in far lower esteem, to net the victory. **(Jamie-Bastion 1200/Kaiba 3000)**

It was spiteful of me, but it's not like this man knew nothing of spite. He gave me a sour smile before wordlessly nodding at his Slate Warrior to finish us off. The blue warrior struck my Marshmallon with its staff in very sudden and unceremonious fashion, knocking Bastion and I to the ground. **(Jamie-Bastion 0/Kaiba 3000)**

Bastion wore a resigned expression as he rose – I don't think he ever really believed we could win, but at least he was able to put aside his fear and try. He even got to summon a decently powerful monster, which is something I couldn't say.

However, I could not handle defeat so placidly. "Fuck!" I swore, There wasn't a damn thing I could have done, it was like he had us in the palm of his hand from the very beginning. But we did at least do some damage…beating Kaiba was not beyond the realm of possibility, and it was a possibility I was very keen on exploring, if only to humble the bastard as Yugi once did.

"Do you understand now, gentlemen? The nature of a duelist is necessarily defined in conflict. They find themselves or find themselves lacking. This was the only way I could get the measure of you, and see if you are true." Kaiba explained as he sheathed his duel disk.

"What did you conclude?" Bastion asked with as much dignity as he could muster, though he and I still looked disheveled, and in my case, pissed off.

"What do you think? We lost. We're probably next for the garbage chute." I spat bitterly, always having been a bit of a sore loser.

"Yes. You did lose. And in quite humiliating fashion, to boot." Kaiba sneered while Bastion and I grew angry. I was so fucking sick of this egomaniac at this point.

"But I can see how the shame burns – good! I despise those who pretend to shrug off defeat as though it is a flea bite, or worse yet, pretend that merely playing the game was enough to satisfy them. Defeat should fucking hurt. A duelist should place everything on the line in a fight, and you two did. So in that respect, you have a glimmer of potential."

He pulled out two empty name tags and pins with the letters 'KC' on them. "If allied to my vision, that glimmer may become something more. Welcome to the KaibaCorp family. You'll start next Tuesday."

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. A shorter chapter this time around, but I couldn't write as much as I would have liked to in these past two weeks due to the fact that I attended a music festival this past weekend. It was a lot of fun! Well, that and writing this chapter were both fun.**

 **I'm sure the outcome of that match was anything but a surprise, but it served as a good reminder to Bastion and especially Jamie that it's a big world at there, and there are still plenty of heights they have yet to ascend to. Although they got their asses beat quickly and efficiently, they still at least showed enough potential to earn their internships.**

 **Otherwise, I decided to show how Jamie's feelings about his reincarnation have evolved. It's something that he doesn't like to think about, but he's dealing with it day by day. Some people might call that Wangst, and you're certainly free to call it that if that's your opinion. I am of the opinion that a person would have some difficulties with their identity and would feel sad about their old life from time to time. I think that's part of making the character grounded, but then again, I don't really read a lot of self-insert stories so I don't know how most authors choose to broach this topic. Anyways, we'll see how that grows over time.**

 **By the way, just in case I don't get a chapter out by the 20** **th** **, I would like to take this moment to commemorate State of the Meta's (nearly) one-year anniversary! It's been such a pleasure to write this for you all, and you guys have showed such great support for this story. It's brought a lot of fulfillment to me personally to write this, so I won't stop any time soon. Thank you all, and we'll see you next time!**


	30. The Great Pretender

Chapter 30: The Great Pretender

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

"Hmm." Jasmine raised her eyebrows, but her expression was otherwise closed off. She wore the dark green apron and visor that all Café La Geen employees did. She rarely worked mornings, but today she was at the cash register while her colleagues bustled about behind the counter and at the drive-thru window. It was a rainy and dark morning in the city, and the shop was busy with customers seeking warm drinks. No one spoke to each other, and I felt the acute loneliness that can only be felt when surrounded by other people. Jasmine, believe it or not, was a glad sight.

"I was wondering when I would see you here. Bastion told me that you did well at your interview." I said with disingenuous politeness. Dress code during the work day was a light blue button down shirt with the KaibaCorp logo on the left breast, along with either dress pants or khakis depending on the employee's preference. It was fairly comfortable for a work uniform – I figured that Kaiba would be stricter than this.

"What would you like today?" She cut off my attempt at banter with a canned customer inquiry, which was good because I wasn't really feeling it today. Exchanging witty repartee with customer service people is always a bad idea anyways.

"I'll have a medium Blue-Eyes Mountain." It was Friday and the end of my first week at KaibaCorp, so I was feeling a bit indulgent. She raised her eyebrows slightly again before accepting the cash. As I sat down and watched her work, I had to admit that Jasmine was an attractive girl, and charming when she wanted to be. She was always rather unpleasant towards me, but I could see how she could wrap Bastion around her finger like she does.

Our eyes met for a moment as she handed me my drink, and she gave me a strange look. Wordlessly nodding my thanks, I put on my raincoat and went to catch a train.

XxXxXxxxXXxxXXXxX

"Lancaster, go refill the washer fluid in the Blue-Eyes White Dragon jet."

"Lancaster, laminate these forms and send them to Pam in HR."

"Lancaster, go hand out the on-call schedules for the building maintenance crew."

"Lancaster, scrub out the third floor men's toilets."

Each day was progressing similarly to this. Turns out that the secretary internship basically translated to being an errand boy, albeit a well-compensated one. At the start of each morning, I would receive a list of various tasks to be done by Roland, who received his orders from Kaiba himself. At first, the list seemed dreadfully long, but it kept me busy and I was done at a reasonable time every day. Some of the jobs were shitty (literally in some cases), but at least I was able to use a good deal of the mechanical experience I had accumulated in my previous life.

When I got to work in the morning, I always reported to Roland, who arrived half an hour before myself. He would give me the list of tasks to be done, and we would go over which of the tasks I could do myself and which I would need some help for. If there was truly nothing to do around the building, I would assist Roland with payroll or answering email.

Today was not the usual day, however – I was bid to report to Kaiba's personal office this morning. Though I had seen the little of the CEO this past week, when I did interact with him he seemed cool and professional. Perhaps his over-the-top arrogance during our interview was a performance after all, although I'd be willing to bet at least part of it was genuine.

"Good morning, mister Kaiba." I said politely as I walked in.

"Close that door." He said quickly, scanning through one last email before shutting off his monitor. I did so, his hurried tone instantly alerting me that something was amiss.

"I received a message this morning from a contact in Egypt. The message detailed a blue comet flying above the Great Pyramids of Giza, landing somewhere in the desert. She said it landed sometime on the night of May 14. That same night, one of her subordinates disappeared, and the crash site was bare." Kaiba said with his fingers interlocked.

I raised my eyebrows at that. The fourteenth of May also happened to be the day that Jaden and I dueled and ultimately defeated Kagemaru. "And you said this flying object was blue…"

"Yes. Were I to guess, I would say that a Sacred Beast has been found. And in Egypt, of all the accursed places…if I believed in fate, I would have half a mind to think it finds some sort of pleasure in dragging me back there. But it is worth investigating nonetheless." He finished with a swivel of his chair, suddenly standing.

"When can we expect your return?" I asked. "Sir." I added hastily. Something about this reeked of a trap, though that could have been because of Kaiba's vague wording regarding his contact. He revealed that it was a woman, at least. Wait a minute, could he mean…? Before I could complete the thought, Kaiba spoke again.

"I will return whenever you do, because you'll be coming with me." Kaiba said with faint amusement. I was not expecting that response, and it must have shown.

"Why are you shocked? Your job is to assist me, is it not? Though I am asking you to work overtime, so you may refuse if you like. I spared you the courtesy because you were a key keeper, so I thought you might appreciate the chance to assist in retrieving the beast. You would receive time and a half pay for this endeavor, and I would also permit you to take a paid vacation day on the day after whenever we return. I expect the journey will take three days at the most." Kaiba explained as he put on his infamous white jacket. "Mokuba will handle the day-to-day affairs around here while I'm gone."

I did feel some responsibility towards seeing the beasts brought back, it was true. I would be making a lot of money and I would get to see a bit of the world for free while I was at it. But something still seemed suspicious about this, and I still had a few questions before I could accept this offer.

"Why is Bastion not receiving the same courtesy as me?" I asked sharply.

"Bringing two extra people along is not needed. Besides, I am told that Misawa is making quite a name for himself down in Research and Development. One of the sharpest interns they've had in years, according to my department head. They are looking to keep around for as long as the summer permits. And as I said before, his job is not to personally assist me. That is yours." Leave it to Kaiba to provide a needlessly long explanation.

I still knew little about the situation, though. Risking some boldness, I replied, "May I ask who this contact of yours is? How do you know you can trust them?"

He smirked coldly. "The House of Ishtar will be assisting us in finding the thief."

Now that got my interest. "I see, so we will have some strong allies."

"So it would seem. Now then, decide. I do not have all day to watch you hem and haw." He said rudely.

"Fine, I'll go." Knowing that we would have some solid backup on the ground was enough to tip me over the fence. "Just give a few minutes to call my parents and let them know."

"Roland will be coming with us too. I'll have him prepare the plane now. Be at Hanger 18 in fifteen minutes." Kaiba said dismissively before sweeping from the room, his coattails dramatically flaring behind him.

XxXxXXxXxXXXxxXXxx

My parents reacted as I expected they would have, which was good because it showed that I was getting to know them better. Tobias was gruff, yet ultimately accepting. He claimed that traveling for work would help me mature. Was the original Jamie Lancaster immature in some way? It sure seemed like that, judging by Tobias' earlier statement about Duel Academy "doing me some good". I brushed it off as a harmless comment, but perhaps it was indicative of a trend after all.

Joanna was more hesitant, but in the end supported it. She seemed to dote on Jamie quite a bit – perhaps the original Jamie was coddled too much, and he became immature as a result? It was fascinating to think about these things. It didn't sicken me as it once did.

They seemed to be good parents, and I was an only child. They had to notice the changes in their son. Could it all be explained by my going to a boarding school? Teenagers often have malleable personalities. I remember back in my old life how different my high school buddies were after they went to college. Some were completely different people. They were fathers and mothers due to drunken mistakes. Some were politically radicalized while others became criminals. But that didn't matter now. And since I didn't know how the old Jamie acted anyways, this worrying wasn't productive.

So I made my way to the hanger. A few mechanics were working on company trucks, but otherwise the place was empty. Kaiba and Roland, along with a third man, stood by a small white plane bare of any Kaibacorp signifiers.

As I arrived, Roland wordlessly handed me a small overnight bag, filled with a few extra uniforms as well as a set of toiletries. That was good, I was beginning to worry that I would have to wear the same clothes for a few days. Kaiba turned to the pilot. "Are we ready to leave?"

"Yes, sir. We still have the routes drawn up from your last visit to Egypt. Weather conditions appear to be acceptable, though the wind is currently strong from the north. We should be able to land in Cairo with all speed." The pilot said clinically. It amazed how comptetent Kaiba's staff was. Not everyone could just drop everything and haul ass halfway across the planet on a lark. Then again, we were possibly dealing with a planetary threat, so pulling out all the stops was appropriate.

"Then let's go." Kaiba said shortly, boarding the vessel even as he spoke the words. Roland and I followed while the pilot made his way to the cockpit. The inside of the plane was comfortable, although it was almost more Spartan than I would have expected from Kaiba. There were a dozen seats, each of them soft and cushioned. A small table was in the center of the passenger area, with some food and a minibar in the back.

Before long we were in the air, the buildings of Domino City beginning to grow smaller and smaller. Kaiba had already taken out his laptop while Roland was reading something on his phone, but I couldn't help feeling the rush that came from being thrust into an adventure. When there was a mission to complete, a battle to fight, it was as though time slept, and the demons in my mind returned to their shadowy recesses for a time.

XxXxXXXxXxXxXxxx

I slept for an hour or so on the plane, though the jet leg was unavoidable. To my disappointment, I missed a call from Alexis while I was asleep. If possible, I would try to call her back as soon as we landed. The sky grew darker as we flew west, and soon the ocean gave way to seemingly infinite stretches of sand. The desert was extremely cool when we landed, probably about fifty degrees Fahrenheit. The air was remarkably dry, especially since I was used to living close to the sea.

When we got to Egypt, it was technically seven hours earlier than when we'd left, meaning it was about three in the morning when we finally landed in the Ishtar compound. Despite the lateness of the hour (or earliness, depending on your perspective), we were able to access the compound's helipad, and three people awaited us on the ground. Although the landing pad clashed greatly with the whole tomb keeper aesthetic, it made sense that a family as relatively distinguished as the Ishtars would have one – after all, Marik used to run an international crime syndicate, and Ishizu had armed guards with her when she traveled to Domino City at the beginning of the Battle City arc. Plus, it seemed that they were in a partnership of sorts with KaibaCorp, so that must have brought in some money as well.

As we landed, I could make out the three individuals more clearly, and they seemed quite familiar. At the forefront was a cloaked woman with tanned bronze skin and deep blue eyes a man could get lost in. They reminded me of Erin's, with the impetuousness tempered by age and wisdom. The beige shawl she wore could not entirely hide her comely figure. At her side were two men. One was tall, bald, and of a darker shade than his companions. The left half of his face was tattooed with hieroglyphs, and he wore a simple dark violet tunic. The other man was decidedly shorter, his hair white-blond and his eyes snake-like and purple. He had a decidedly feminine face, and seemed to be wearing eyeliner.

I instantly knew that these must be the Ishtar siblings. I didn't expect that they would personally greet us on our arrival. I figured that they would be sleeping, but it seemed the situation was serious enough to warrant a face-to-face greeting. Behind them stood four armed guards, each with a loaded AK-47 in hand. Oh man, I wonder how 4kids would censor that one!

Kaiba seemed to share my mild surprise. "All three of them out here?" He muttered before schooling his features into their usual cold mask. The four of us departed in silence until we were standing opposite the Egyptian entourage. The winds whipped across the dunes, sending streams of sand trailing along the ground.

Ishizu removed her shawl, letting out her long dark hair. "I am glad that you could come so quickly, Seto." She greeted with a mysterious glimmer in her eye, daring to address him by his first name. "The hospitality of House Ishtar is yours."

"It's been too long…Ishizu." Kaiba said silkily with an equally strange look in his eyes. The two smiled demurely at each other, sharing a secret joke between them silently. Marik and Odion stood back, a disapproving expression on both of their faces.

Ishizu then turned to Roland, who was still as a statue like always. "And it is good to see you as well, Roland. Congratulations on the birth of your youngest son. Give Isabella and your children my warmest regards when you see her." She said warmly, as if they were old friends. Perhaps they were – a lot can happen in ten years.

"She sends her best as well. It is a pleasure to you and yours in good health as well." Roland said, allowing some warmth into his tone.

"Who is this?" Marik tilted his head towards me, a cold intelligence slithering beneath his soft voice. Ishizu gave her brother a reproachful look that I did not miss, despite her attempts at being subtle.

"I apologize, young man. It has been a trying time for us recently –" Ishizu began to apologize, only for Kaiba to interrupt her.

"This is my new minion, Jamie Lancaster." Kaiba said stridently, his arms crossed. "He is an Obelisk Blue at Central Duel Academy."

"Ah yes, I had nearly forgotten that you took the names of the gods for your school dormitories. Obelisk Blue is the highest of your ranks, is it not? It would seem more fitting to me that the Winged Dragon of Ra would be the pinnacle, considering that it is the strongest of the old gods." Marik's voice was just as bold as Kaiba's, and I could tell that these two were going to get a pissing match somehow.

He was wrong, anyways. Ra was easily the worst of the god cards in terms of actual playability, though that was because Konami decided to weaken its more broken effects in the anime. Frankly, Obelisk was far and away the most useful of the three gods in real life. It would make more sense if the dorms were ordered Ra, Slifer, and Obelisk rather than Slifer, Ra, and Obelisk, but the current system wasn't decided by logic, it was decided by Kaiba's rather petty prejudice against Slifer, the god card used primarily by Yugi. Either way, this entire debate was pointless since the gods were sealed away along with the Millennium Items.

Kaiba fixed with a dead-eyed glare. "Luckily, it's not your decision to make."

Marik hissed, but Ishizu moved to stand between them. "This bickering is fruitless! You will both stop at once and act like adults. If we do not move carefully, our entire house could be at risk."

They both shut up, and Ishizu continued speaking. "My apologies, young man. You said your name was Jamie Lannister, right?"

"Lancaster." I corrected, though it was a humorous error on her part, all things considered.

"Right, of course. As you may have gathered, my name is Ishizu Ishtar. These are my brothers, Marik and Odion." The introductions were unneeded, of course, but understandable from her perspective.

"It is good to meet you all. As a boy I watched you all duel in the Battle City Finals." The lie came out smooth, but the slightly uncomfortable looks on their faces told me that this might have been the wrong thing to say. The worst part was that I should have known better, but at the very least I could feign ignorance about the Ishtar family's dark past.

Ishizu cleared her throat. "Ah, yes, that. It's hard to believe that only ten years have past since then. We all have come far in that time. But it seems we must take up our arms once more. We'll discuss further inside." And so, we descended into the dark tombs of the ancient kings, the torchlight casting long shadows as we were borne back into the past.

XxXxXxXxxXxxXxXxXxxXx

"We should make this quick, while the compound still sleeps." It was the first words I had heard from Odion, and as I might have expected, his voice was deep and booming. If I didn't already know the truth, I would assume that he was the leader among the three siblings.

Ishizu nodded gravely as we walked down to the cellar. Kaiba, Roland and I were led into a large storage room of sorts, various munitions and supplies stacked on shelves lining the earthen walls. Dim lightbulbs cast orange light, and I wondered for a moment how annoying it would be to set up electrical lines in the desert. From a marked box on the top shelf, Odion pulled out three duel disks. The Ishtar siblings each outfitted themselves with Battle City model disks. I had my Academy make attached to my wrist, while Kaiba and surprisingly Roland grabbed Duel Disks from the company storage facility before we left.

"I hate to talk in such a dingy room, but I am sure we will be watched if we speak in the more public areas, even at this time of night." Ishizu explained.

"Just get to the point. Who are we fighting?" Kaiba voiced what I was thinking, though I would've been less blunt about it.

"Nearly two weeks ago, I awoke in the night to see a blue comet streaking across the sky, and I heard it touch down near Ishtar lands. I gathered a small force of men and rode for the crash site, only to find nothing there. The next morning, one of the watchmen on duty that previous evening was missing."

"What was the man's name?" Kaiba asked brusquely.

"It was my cousin, Hank Ishtar." She finished dramatically. Kaiba, Roland, and I started laughing derisively. Hank Ishtar? Somebody call Little Kuriboh!

"Does he have a son named Bobby as well?" Kaiba snarked.

"Shut up! It's not that funny! Sure, our uncle was kind of a weird guy, but I will not stand for this brazen insult of House Ishtar!" Marik bared his teeth, triggered. Well whatever the case, his uncle had some interesting notions when it came to names.

Growing serious again, I decided to chip in. "I might be able to explain what that blue object was, Lady Ishtar. I'm not how much you guys know about this, but during the last few months, Central Duel Academy was under attack by a group of mercenaries called the Shadow Riders. They also go by the Seven Stars in some circles. They each sought the three Sacred Beast cards that were sealed beneath the island, albeit for different reasons."

"We have heard of these Sacred Beasts, though I doubt anyone alive knows of how they were sealed beneath the island. Kaiba himself only found them by accident when he bought the land for developing his school. How did these people know of the cards?" Marik interjected. "I'd be curious to know why they resemble the old gods."

"The leader of the assassins was the former superintendent, Kagemaru. He seemed to think that the Sacred Beasts held the ability to grant him immortality, once their seals were broken. I defeated him with the help of a friend, but he used the last vestiges of his duel energy to scatter the beasts across the planet. I don't think even he had any control over where they were going. It was only random chance that brought one of them here. And judging by the fact that you said it was blue in color, I'm guessing that it was Raviel, Lord of Phantasms."

The Ishtars nodded, drinking in this information. "Do you know anything else of this Raviel?" Odion piped up.

"It is a decently powerful boss monster when an entire deck is built around it. It has a big body with 4000 attack and defense, but its effects are damn near useless. It also has no immunity to targeting, destruction, or banishing, so it shouldn't be a problem during a duel. The real trouble is the sheer mass of duel energy harnessed within it. If it's not handled carefully, there's a good chance that thing could kill us." I explained clinically.

The Ishtar's slowly nodded. "In that case, defeating the beast shouldn't be a problem. Finding it will be, though. We have no idea where my cousin has run off too." Marik said with a deep sigh. He looked more sad than angry.

"Hank was always such a quiet, laid-back sort. He was five years my senior, so we were not close growing up. He had few friends, but to me, it seemed that he bore the burden of being a tomb keeper better than most….I hope that words may still yet reach him." Ishizu said with a similarly somber expression. Kaiba rolled his eyes, but I found myself somewhat sobered by it all.

"Does he have any means of transport that you know of?" Roland asked, getting the conversation back on track.

"No, all of our vehicles are accounted for. We also have GPS tracking beacons on all of them, so even if he took one, we would know." Marik responded. "So at the very least he probably hasn't left the compound. My guess is that he's in one of the three pyramids under our direct jurisdiction."

"Why would he be there? Wouldn't he try to get as far away as possible?" I dared to ask.

Ishizu shook her head. "We're twenty miles from the nearest town, and walking the desert alone at night is a fool's errand. Perhaps he means to rally some of the other clansmen to his cause, and in the morning attempt a takeover."

"It's good we arrived when we did, then. We should begin searching the three pyramids now." Kaiba said boldly, attempting to assert dominance over the situation.

"I agree." Marik said, the petty feud between them momentarily forgotten. "I do not wish to enlist the other clansmen if possible. If word gets out about a schism within our house, the serpents will begin crawling out of the woodwork. There still remain many who believe me unfit for leadership due to my past." He said frankly. Anger briefly flashed in his eyes before he cooled. "There are six of us, so we will split up in teams of two for each pyramid."

"Roland and I." Kaiba said immediately, as if the schoolteacher had just announced a group project.

"No, one of us will each team with one of you. Neither you nor Roland have ever been in our sacred crypts before, so you will not know your way around. Believe me, it does not warm my heart to know the likes of you will be in our hallowed tombs, but there is no avoiding it. Odion, I would ask you to accompany mister Lannister."

"It's Lancaster!" I protested, and to my surprise, Odion was as well. "Marik, I swore a sacred vow to serve by your side on the day I received my tomb keeper brandings. Please, allow me to do so now."

"You are not my servant, not anymore. You are my brother." Marik said warmly. "And so I cannot give you any commands. But I am a grown man now, and I can handle danger. I shall take Roland with me, he is a competent man who has seen much. If you were to accompany the high schooler, I would feel a lot better." He explained.

I inwardly bristled at the disrespect. If the whim occurred to me, I could play my Diva deck and destroy all five of these people in the span of minutes, and then go defeat this brigand myself as well. Being treated like a child was frustrating, but then, they could not know of my true deck, and for all they knew I actually was an ordinary high school student, albeit a talented one. I swallowed the patronizing remark and moved on.

Odion set his jaw. He still looked unhappy about this, but nodded. "I will do as you bid…brother."

Marik smiled. "Thank you. And I suppose that leaves…Kaiba and Ishizu." He said distastefully. Kaiba wore a challenging smirk, while Ishizu's expression was unreadable. Marik looked like he wanted to say more, but he chose not to. "Take the north pyramid. We will take the west, while Odion and the intern will go east."

Odion looked upon me with utter neutrality. I had never seen a more carefully guarded expression. "Marik, we should all exchange numbers before we leave."

"You guys get service out here?" I asked, genuinely surprised. Then again, somehow they had to send the email requesting our assistance in the first place, so I guess it made sense.

"Of course. Though we prefer a more humble existence, there are some modern amenities that are hard to go without." Ishizu said, taking out her cell phone while Marik did the same. We hurriedly established a group message and made to split up.

Before our paths truly diverged, Kaiba pulled me aside. "If you do find this man and it comes down to a duel, make sure Odion is the one to fight."

"Why?" I asked, expecting some disparaging remark about my lackluster dueling skills.

"The only reason that we are even involved here is to recover Raviel, and our mission is complete when that task is accomplished. There is no point in needlessly placing my own men in harm's way for what is by all accounts an internal affair on the Ishtar's part. If Odion should succeed, good – he has already promised to return the beast to my hands. If he fails, then you should either escape or pounce on the weakened enemy as needed. I have already told Roland the same thing." He said conspiratorially. "Believe me, these people wouldn't bleed a drop for your sake."

It was a cynical thing to say, but his last remark caught my interest. "You don't believe the Ishtars can be trusted?"

"You don't make formal alliances with people you trust."

XxXxXxXxXXxXxXXXxxXXXxxXXXx

A few minutes later, Odion and I were traveling to the easternmost pyramid under Ishtar jurisdiction by horse. It was rather fortunate that I learned how to ride a horse in my previous life, for Odion said that riding by horseback would be helpful in avoiding detection by Hank and his crew. It was the dead of night, and anything with an engine would be heard from miles away. Odion rode a handsome full-grown white Arabian whilst I was stuck with a pony, but nevertheless we both rode hard and fast towards the eastern pyramid.

We approached from the corner of the structure, tying our mounts to a post before running over to the base of the pyramid. "Where is the entrance?" I asked, as there was no doorway or entryway obvious to my eyes.

Odion did not answer, instead rubbing his palm over the individual blocks that comprised the pyramid. His hand glided over the stones until one began to sink inward. Pressing his calloused palm further, Odion triggered a secret entryway, a section of the stones revealed to be a revolving wall panel. Without checking to see if I was following, Odion slipped inside the wall. Hastily, I followed after him.

My eyes strained to adjust to the darkness of the catacombs, but Odion moved through them with catlike speed and ease. Every once in a while, he would press a certain panel on the wall or the floor. "To disable the traps." He explained quickly and quietly. How the fuck does he remember where these switches are? I can barely see anything in here! Were they marked? Now wasn't really the time to ask though.

The ceiling was too low for us to stand up fully, especially Odion, who was a good six inches taller than me. Just as my back was starting to voice its annoyance with me, we emerged into a large chamber with a ceiling so high I couldn't even see it.

Mounds of gold and bronze were littered about the chamber, a sarcophagus on a raised dais at the center of the room. Four limestone jars sat near the tomb. They looked plain but I imagined they served a ceremonial purpose of sorts. The air was thick with the smell of dried incense and spiced wine.

Odion gave me a hard look. "Count yourself fortunate that you have bore witness to a pharaoh's place of rest. This is the tomb of King Thutmose III. He was a brave warrior –" He began, but was interrupted.

"Indeed, one of the greatest of his generation." A voice suddenly echoed throughout the funerary chamber. "I hope a man like that would find peace in the Field of Reeds. Or perhaps his warrior's soul would find a new home…a rebirth."

We wheeled around to find a gaggle of armed guards pouring into the room. At the center of the force was our quarry. The description I was given of him matched his appearance well. A sharp, angular face with gleaming violet eyes and white shoulder-length, this man definitely looked related to Marik. However, where Marik held effeminate, serpentine beauty, this man was plainer, lacking Marik's musculature and aesthetically pleasing facial symmetry. But the malice in his eyes, the reckless hunger for power that Marik once had…the two shared that without a doubt.

"Hank! You will explain your disappearance at once! The entire compound is searching for you!" Odion lied. Wow, I didn't think he had the capability to lie, but it served our purposes well to suggest that dozens, if not hundreds of Ishtars were roving the pyramids at this very moment.

"And it would seem that more than just the compound is searching, for that boy with you is no Ishtar." Hank sized me up with an odd mixture of intrigue, bemusement and scorn on his face. "And one wearing a Kaibacorp employee uniform, no less. What is your name, child?"

I gave him a stern, closed off look. "Jamie Lancaster. And you must be Hank Ishtar." I wanted to make a snide remark about his name, but I decided not to after noticing how sharp his guards' spears were.

"I take it you are Seto Kaiba's man." He said with a seemingly lazed demeanor, as if I were an afterthought.

"I am here because I wish to see the safe return of Raviel to the seals beneath Academy Island, nothing more. I have been told that you may have an idea as to where Raviel is." I said as diplomatically as I could.

"Ah yes, I may have some idea." A torrent blue, fiery aura erupted around his body, streaking up the walls. His eyes were ablaze, his brown cloak billowing in the sudden gale.

"Well?" He questioned me with a cocky grin. "Am I supposed to hand it over now?"

"Stop this madness! You will tell us the meaning of this at once!" Odion bellowed.

"You couldn't hazard a guess, Odion? Is it truly so unbelievable, so mad, that I would wish to escape this damnable darkness? The gods have answered my prayers for freedom at long last, though they are not the gods we swore our vows to so long ago." Hank's voice, originally full of cackling humor, grew more solemn.

"Our clan's duties have been forsworn in the past by the very man you serve today. Marik betrayed the memory of the Pharaohs, and yet now we are supposed to bend the knee to him and sing his praises. It's bad enough that I am expected to toil away in the desert tombs for the sake of dead men, but to kiss the boots of my traitorous cousin as well?" Hank stepped forward, discarding his brown cloak, revealing a bare bronze chest underneath, his legs covered by billowing white pantaloons.

"Dude, put a shirt on." I said.

"You resent my brother, yet you choose to follow in his footsteps? Are you a hypocrite as well as a traitor?!" Odion boomed, laying out some harsh accusations. But then, he was never a man for half measures.

"I do not resent him at all. He saw a chance to escape this darkness, to finally grasp for the light, and he was swatted down for it by the Pharaoh Atem. Marik was defeated, but nothing about the tomb keeper hierarchy has changed. He wasn't even truly punished for his deeds, and yet we are supposed to serve meekly all the same? Not this time."

Something about this little rant seemed strange. Hank was angry that Marik was not punished for betraying the tomb keepers, and yet he himself obviously holds no regard for the laws of his clan with respect to his own actions. Could there be something deeper here? This was completely out of my depth, I had no canon knowledge to support me here. One thing is for sure – the time for talking this guy down was long past. By the sound of it, he was planning this coup for a long time, and with Raviel now in his hands he felt he could breathe life into those treacherous ambitions.

"It appears there is no turning you back from this path, cousin." Odion said ruefully.

"Spare me the patronizing words. Either prepare for battle or stand aside. Or perhaps you can join me…have you never once thirsted for freedom as I have, Odion?" Hank insinuated.

"It doesn't matter what I want. I swore a vow to serve the house of Ishtar until my dying day." Came Odion's stolid response. Hank's eyes nearly drooped in disappointment.

"But how can you die when you have never lived? The hot red blood of a man has been lashed out of you by uncle's whip long ago. But then, I should have known better than to ask a eunuch about such things." Hank's words caused my eyes to widen. I looked at Odion questioningly, but he refused to return my gaze. Could he really have been…was Marik's father that much of a monster? I couldn't help but to begin to question the tomb keeper system myself. My own sensibilities did not deem it just, but was it really my place to interfere in a system that had been in place for thousands of years?

"You have chosen your path, and now you will face judgment." Odion activated his duel disk.

"Hey, wait!" I interjected. "I can handle this guy, the sacred beast is my responsibility as a key keeper."

"No." Odion's refusal was like an anvil dropping from a rooftop – heavy and sudden. "This is an internal clan matter, and as such an Ishtar should settle it. In the meantime, try and see if you can contact the others."

I had a really bad feeling about this. "You can do that, you'll be able to direct them better than me." But this time, he did not even respond to me.

Across the room, Hank's guards fanned out to block the entrances and exits. With only the torchlight to brighten the room, the shadows were long and eerie. The betrayer of House Ishtar activated his own duel disk wordlessly.

"Duel!"

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **A shorter chapter this time, partly due to the fact that I have had a hard time writing a lot lately (traveling and home renovations) and partly due to the fact that this chapter is introducing a lot of new stuff to the story. The next chapter will most likely be out sooner than this one and it will most likely be longer as well.**

 **Some people might find this Egypt plot to be a non sequitur, but I've tried to foreshadow it as best I could over the past few chapters, and it does tie into the overall story. For me, the most interesting parts of Yugioh revolve around the ancient lore. I've always like the Ancient Egyptian aesthetic, and I really liked the Nazca Lines/Earthbound Immortals in 5Ds as well. Sadly the show runners have been forced to move away from all that ever since Carly (from 5Ds) voice actress was discovered to be part of a cult. Crazy stuff, look it up.**

 **Otherwise, it did bother me a bit how Marik's whole shtick was that being a tomb keeper was a raw deal, and that the cruelty of the system was a prevailing reason why Yami Marik was even created to begin with. And yet, we never actually see any change in the system, and it seems hard to believe that the other tomb keepers would be cool with Marik taking up his former position after betraying them and trying to literally kill a pharaoh. But then, villains are always forgiven too easily in Yugioh, so whatever. Hank Ishtar obviously has a funny/meme name, but generally speaking the character is meant to reflect the aforementioned articles in a serious ("serious") way. I also like to have some continuity with the original series and original series characters will have active roles to play in this story.**

 **Finally, I'd just like to appreciate all of you for getting us to be the most followed story in the GX archive! It's not about the numbers of course, but your support has been truly incredible and it inspires me all the time. Thank you.**


	31. Broken Bonds

Chapter 31: Broken Bonds

(Chazz Princeton POV)

They stayed in San Francisco for another night before leaving for the Princeton estate the next morning. Chazz and Jesse were each taking different flights – Chazz would return to the Princeton estate while Jesse would be going back to his parents' home in Norway for the summer. Jesse vowed to stay in contact, and would try to help Chazz reclaim his dragon in any way he could. But such a tremendous undertaking would be difficult with half the world separating them.

Chazz's blood boiled as he thought of ways to get his dragon back, but he had no proof that Mackenzie and David had stolen his Light and Darkness Dragon apart from Mackenzie's vague threats during their duel, and they were ushered off the stage by their handlers before he could confront them on it. So he decided to call his brothers, thinking that they would help him if only to assuage the family pride or some such nonsense.

" _Why did you let it get stolen?"_ Jagger accused him.

"I didn't let it get stolen, they used some kind of trick to take it out of my deck –" Chazz tried to explain.

 _"A trick? Like some magician's trick? Give me a break, you probably just forgot it somewhere. The card was bad anyways, so who cares? You should have used our rare cards instead."_ Slade interrupted, domineering.

"Listen, they- "Chazz tried again.

 _"It's one card, brother. Forget it. You ought to be more concerned with your position. That was a brutal defeat back there. Meanwhile, that fag you like to pal around with got his opponent to scoop. How do you think your northerners will handle this news? Someone else might be king if you don't assert dominance in a convincing fashion."_ Jagger said. The elder Princeton brothers had a way of speaking in tandem that always seemed to overwhelm Chazz.

"I will! I'll prove I'm the best!"Chazz finally finished a sentence.

 _"Good. Next time you face these Americans, you will be ready. If possible, we can arrange for the match to have an ante if it is an official game. Then, you can get this dragon back if you wish._ " They said dismissively.

Chazz slumped against the wall. How could they be so casual about these thieves! Mackenzie and Rabb were both clearly his enemies, and therefore the Princeton family's enemies by extension, so why wouldn't they help him?! It was maddening!

There was more to it as well; David was clearly using some kind of dark power in his game with Jesse. It was damn lucky that Jesse came out the winner, because Chazz got a really bad vibe from all that smoke and shadow. He had caught wind of some group of mercenaries calling themselves Shadow Riders attacking Duel Academy using shadow magic. Could Mackenzie and Rabb be amongst their employ?

" _The place hasn't fallen yet though."_ Chazz thought. There were plenty of decent duelists there, none so great as himself of course, but they were strong enough. Why should he care either way? That island wasn't his home, never would be.

But there was a sentiment that wouldn't go away no matter how hard he tried to squash it. It was made all too clear when he thought of Jaden's smile, of Bastion's honesty, and even the little shit Syrus' determination to be better. And when he thought of Alexis' kindness, and beauty, and patience, and how perfect she was…there was no denying it.

 _"I made a choice….and I chose wrong."_ Chazz's face screwed up into an ugly expression before he held his head in his hands and began to cry in the hotel bathroom. _"I miss them. All I ever did was push them away and treat them terribly, and yet I miss them now…if only I wasn't so stupid and convinced of my own superiority. But those bridges are burned now…"_

Jesse had been a true friend, the first true friend that Chazz had ever really had. And to think that someone like Jaden or even the smarmy fuckhead Lancaster had many Jesses in their lives…it was hard to swallow. And now that Jesse was halfway across the world and one of his duel spirits was stolen from him, Chazz wished he had more friends. But he pushed them all away long ago…

After a time, his eyes dried. And after the sadness came rage. "It's not too late to change things! I'll find a way to get my dragon back, and then those brothers of mine will learn a lesson they won't forget! From now on, I'm doing things my way!"

XxXxXXxxXxxXxxxXXXxxXXXxxXXX

(Reggie Mackenzie POV)

"You have done well, Reggie."

Reggie and David both stood ramrod straight, across the desk from the principal of the American Duel Academy in his office, who also happened to be Reggie's biological father. Charles Mackenzie by all accounts presented a kindly image, with his plain salt-and-pepper hair, early wrinkles forming around his lips, and bushy eyebrows. And perhaps once upon a time, that outward presentation represented reality. But Mackenzie knew the truth, and her father was no longer the compassionate man he was when she and David were children.

But she wasn't the same person anymore either. The dark energy had sunk its claws into her long ago, offering an addictive buzz like nicotine. But she refused to give in to it like her father and brother had. They, knowingly or not, allowed themselves to become ravenous beasts in service to an ancient demon. She saw it when her father thought she wasn't looking, when he spoke of debts and repaying them.

"Thank you, father." David inclined his head ever so slightly, a smirk on his face. He didn't seem to realize that Charles had specifically praised her and not him.

"I said Reggie, not you. You have always been too reckless, David. You hid it behind some cryptic words and a smirk, but you know as well as I that the Anderson boy would have defeated you had you not surrendered and spared us all the humiliation a protracted defeat would cause." Charles said coldly.

David was not used to being so sharply rebuked, and his blue eyes were wide with shock and indignation. "As I understood it, the mission was to obtain the Light and Darkness Dragon from Princeton, was it not?! Anderson meant nothing!"

"That was true until he played a Sacred Beast. Did it not seem odd to you that he possessed such a card? Or is your lust for battle such that it overrules your faculties of observation?" Charles continued. David looked down at the floor, his lips twitching as if he had bitten into a lemon. Reggie did not approve of such harsh words, but she also did not want to appear resistant to her father, or rather the demon inhabiting her father's body, in any way. _"The dagger in his back will be all the sharper for my discretion."_

"I suppose I should be grateful that your vanity got in the way of your recklessness. Your little façade inspired some fear in the Anderson boy, and he will rightly be wary of us now. I doubt he will have his Sacred Beast for long, considering how notoriously possessive Kaiba is of rare cards. When you face him next, he will probably lack that particular asset, and so it is of no concern to us. In time, you will be able to avenge yourself." Charles explained. Then, his lecture to David finished, he turned to Mackenzie once again.

"As I was saying, you fought very well against Princeton. The great King in the North has run back to his family's compound with his tail between his legs. With such a wound to his pride, he will most likely bide his time and come for you again when you least expect it. Normally I would not condone letting such an enemy escape with his life, but killing him was out of the question in a tournament setting."

The implication of his statement was clear. The next time she and Princeton crossed paths, she would be expected to take care of him permanently. "I understand, dad."

He nodded and gave her a sickly imitation of what was supposed to be a fatherly smile. "Thank you, Reg. My little angel." It always made her blood churn whenever the demon spoke such affectionate words, like the ones her real father used to say. But she never let her smooth, cool expression slip for a moment, lest he notice anything was amiss. Then, he held out his hand.

"Now, the card?" He asked gently, but with a dark undercurrent. This would be a pivotal moment in her plans.

"Daddy," She begun in a slightly cloying tone, "I know it's selfish of me, but like you said, I'll probably have to face the little prince again someday. Wouldn't it be rather poetic if the last thing he saw before he died was his own dragon at my command?"

It was a petty and cruel thing to ask, and normally she would find such a thing distasteful, but it was exactly the sort of sentiment this demon could understand. For a moment, there was silence, the father and daughter each searching the other's face for an unspoken sign. David looked between them, the layers of the conversation seeming to escape him.

Finally, Charles closed his eyes and nodded. "It would be a suitable punishment for his arrogance. You have my blessing in this endeavor."

David's eyes widened in understanding, and he turned to Mackenzie as if to confirm his suspicions, but she paid him no regard.

"Which brings me to the next step of the plan. With the dragon in our hands, the next greatest threat to our objective is the white-feathered spirit, the Winged Kuriboh. We know that particular card is the hands of another Central Academy student, the Slifer Red duelist Jaden Yuki." Charles continued.

"Allow me to fight him." David suddenly interjected. "We have all seen the footage of last year's school duel, we know that he and Princeton are of a similar level. I can destroy him for sure!" He nearly shouted with obvious bloodlust.

"Calm down, David. It would be more advantageous for us to handle this situation with more…delicacy. Reggie, I have an enormous task to ask of you. I have heard troubling rumors that Jaden Yuki is not the smiling fool he appears to be. I have heard whisperings of golden eyes and hidden powers from the spirit realm and beyond. This coming semester, I would transfer you to Central Duel Academy for a term to study abroad. While you're there, I would like you to keep a close eye on Jaden If he does anything strange or shows any powers beyond the ordinary, you would let me know. Befriend him and gain his trust. And in time, during a moment of weakness…tear him to pieces and take his Winged Kuriboh

Mackenzie was inwardly surprised. She certainly didn't anticipate anything like this. Charles was certainly placing a lot of trust in her, but this plan worked to her advantage as well. Some distance and time with which to plot against him could only be a good thing for her. But she must not be too eager…

"I will do whatever you deem advantageous." She said with an affected sigh, as if resigned.

He did not seem to view this action with any suspicion. Nodding once, he offered up another one of those disgusting smiles. "Thank you, dear. Do whatever you need to do to get close to the boy."

She had a notion about what getting close to Jaden might entail, but she was not worried about that. _"Oh, I will do whatever I need to do."_ She thought behind the mask. _"I will do whatever is needed to bring my father and brother, and banish you away to whatever hell you came from…Tragoedia."_

XxXxXxXxXXxXxXXXXXX

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

Since I did not know for certain the capabilities of either duelist, the ensuing battle was one I could not predict the outcome of. I watched, frozen as Odion and Hank shuffled and begun the duel as ceremony dictated.

I truly did wish to fight in Odion's place, despite Kaiba's order not to do so. It's not that I thought Odion was a bad duelist, but a part of me did feel responsible for seeing the Sacred Beasts returned, and in the end I trusted my skills more than any other's, arrogant as that might seem. And I disliked Kaiba's constant, overbearing cynicism…I'm not, nor will I ever be, his pawn. He has plenty of instruments and tools…not me. But it appears that Odion will be dueling regardless of what I wish. Before I forgot, I quickly sent out a text to our recently established groupchat. Hopefully Kaiba, Ishizu, Marik and Roland were close.

Odion went first. "I shall set three cards face-down and end my turn." He declared – it appeared that his unconventional form of dueling, which relies heavily on trap cards, persisted to this day. Hopefully it was enough to throw his opponent off-balance, but I doubted it. Marik's cousin probably knew every one of Odion's moves, while he himself doubtless rebuilt his deck to accommodate the addition of Raviel.

"Heh…draw." Now we would see if Hank dueled with the same skill as his cousin. "I'll place two cards face-down before setting a monster. I'll end with that."

Hank was turtling in response, which was an interesting play as it put the impetus on Odion to strike first. However, Marik's adoptive brother looked confident as he drew his next card.

"I activate my trap card, **Embodiment of Apophis (1600/1800)**! This card also acts a monster, which I can summon now!" A snake-human hybrid slithered through the crypts, wielding a curved cutlass in its strangely scaled hands.

"Attack the set monster!" With deceptive speed, the serpent descended on Hank's monster, revealing it to be **Giant Germ (1000/100)**. Oh boy, between the snake and now this, these guys aren't winning points for aesthetics. But it was a good monster for Hank's intended purpose of summoning Raviel.

"When Giant Germ is destroyed, you take 500 points of damage whilst I get to summon two more from my deck." Odion winced as he coughed up a storm. "Real pain…then this is a shadow game. To think you've fallen this far." But the tomb keeper recovered quickly, still keeping up a stoic countenance. **(Odion 3500/Hank 4000)**

"Silence! I will not hear any more judgment from a mere tool like yourself!" Hank snarled as two Giant Germs appeared on either side of him.

Odion said nothing to that, which seemed to irritate Hank even more. "I end my turn."

"Draw." Hank smiled after seeing his latest cards. "Again, the gods have granted me what I need to prevail. Can you say the same, Odion?" Not waiting for him to answer, Marik's cousin continued his move. "First, I'll summon **Phantom of Chaos (0/0)** in attack mode." A swirling mass of shadows furled around his feet and took its place along the floor, next to the twin germs."

Thankfully, Odion spared us all of the inane "woah, it has zero attack points!" remark, instead waiting for his adversary to finish his turn. Thank Ra! Hey, wait a minute…he has three fiends on his side of the field. Oh….oh.

"I'm sure you're wondering what Phantom of Chaos' effect is, but I assure it is not relevant, at least for now. What matters is that I have three fiends on the field. And now…" Suddenly, his three monsters burst into pillars of blue flame, the brightness and intensity of it overwhelming my eyes.

"My spirit wants to be free, and live! I refuse to live in submission, to be bound by the chains of our forefathers! By sacrificing three fiends, I call upon **Raviel, Lord of Phantasms** **(4000/4000)!** "

The shadows on the wall were given form, becoming three dimensional shapes. They coalesced and transformed into something greater, finally becoming an enormous blue-scaled titan that resembled what would happen if Obelisk the Tormentor fell in with the goth crowd in high school. I jested, but lame jokes were the thin veil my mind erected to face these eldritch horrors, probably so I wouldn't go insane.

Whatever Odion thought of in moments like this, it didn't show on his face, which remained resolute. Was this what a lifetime of servitude, of duty did to a man? He had scarcely shown any emotion since I had met him. Perhaps Hank had a point about him being more tool than person.

"Lancaster, what does the card do?" Odion spoke up, jarring me out of my reverie.

"It generates a token with 1000 attack every time you normal summon. If he sacrifices a monster, he can add its attack points to its base attack." I quickly explained.

"And you said no immunity to card effects earlier…" Odion said, his frown seeming to lessen for a moment as the gears turned in his head.

"To know what a card does is a different thing than knowing how to stop it! I activate an equip spell, **Fairy Meteor Crush**! This allows Raviel to inflict piercing damage!" A blazing red aura formed around the front of Raviel's body, its huge frame crowding Hank's side of the room as his guards watched in adulation.

"Attack, and show him the force of a true god!" Clenching its fist, Raviel incinerated Odion's serpent with the force of a single flaming punch. The piercing damage sent Odion tumbling across the room. I stood, ready to catch him, but his weight was so great that I got the wind knocked out of me as I hit the floor. **(Odion 1300/Hank 4000)**

As we both rose, I felt frustration mounting. "Hey man, if you've still got the kid gloves on, now might be a good time to cut loose. This guy is fighting to kill."

Shoving me away, Odion said, "I know, boy." Before turning his back on me again.

"Ha!" Hank scoffed. "Kaiba's serving boy may have a point, Odion. I was about to ask the same thing, in truth."

"It is a poor trap that the quarry can detect beforehand." The tomb keeper held a cryptic smile, and I felt a twinge of faith in him. Odion was breathing heavily, but was otherwise seemed unharmed. But did he really have a trap for something like this? The only time I have seen Odion duel was against Joey in the Battle City Finals, and not for nothing, but Joey wasn't exactly a strategic mastermind. But then, I did not know what this Hank guy was capable of either, except for the fact that he seemed to be winning right now.

"Your convictions are strong, but the human spirit yearns to be free! It yearns for adventure and wonder, not this life of bondage! Can't you see why I must do this?" Hank seemed to plead with Odion, begging him to see his side. But he may as well have been debating the wind.

"What will you do with this freedom once you have it?" Odion asked.

Hank seemed taken aback for the briefest of moments, but collected himself quickly. "See the world, taste fine food, enjoy the company of a woman, feel the sun on my skin. To dream, and become a real human being, free of old debts. Tell me, can you truly begrudge me for that? Your brother once sought the light as well, and you took the lash for his supposed breach of duty. And yet, when I want the same thing, you take up arms against me." Hank then pointed a finger at me. "That boy has the right to dream, and it's a crime for me to want what he has been given at birth?"

Were his words true? I suppose in theory I was free to do as I chose, but I also had a moral imperative to fight the evils that I knew existed in the universe, and protect this planet in doing so. I was glad to have that mission, because I still wasn't entirely sure what I would do with unfettered freedom in this world. Once the events of the canon series were over and done with, I would become a "normal" person, in essence. It was comforting in a way, to know that simpler days were ahead, but also unsettling on an existential level.

"You were born an Ishtar, so you have a duty. It is better to live humbly and in service to a greater cause. You believe yourself a slave now, but being pulled in every direction by whim and fancy is no better. You will still be empty if you only live for pleasure." Odion was obviously not swayed by Hank's argument. In fact, he was probably the last person on earth that would be won over to that type of thinking. "For the sake of your family, I will give you this one last chance to back down."

"I would probably be more intimidated if you were winning." Hank said frankly, refusing to argue further with Odion. "But even if that were the case, I can never turn back."

Odion closed his eyes, a tight frown on his face. "So be it. It is my turn now. First, I'll activate my face-down card, a trap monster by the name of **Abyss Stungray (1900/0)**." A luminescent blue manta with intricate white markings on its body slithered onto the field. Odion summoned the monster in defense mode, which was a smart play.

"This monster cannot be destroyed by battle." Odion explained, and Hank was annoyed to find his oh-so ultimate Sacred Beast stymied by simple destruction immunity. " Then, I shall activate **Mystical Space Typhoon** to destroy your Fairy Meteor Crush. I'll set another card and end my turn." Odion seemed to know what he was doing, but it was hard to feel at ease (or anything resembling ease) whilst the big blue guy was staring us down.

"Draw." Hank frowned, clearly not liking his card. I imagined that he had to change many core aspects of his deck in order to better accommodate Raviel. This might well be his very first match with this build, so it's possible that he might make some mistakes. But the question then becomes if Odion, with his passive playstyle, can capitalize on those errors when they happen.

"I summon **Sangan (1000/600)** in attack mode." An orange-furred, three eyed gremlin scurried onto the field. I assume he put it in attack mode because he wanted to bait an aggressive move from Odion. "Then, I shall end my turn." It appeared that Hank was biding his time as well.

Odion drew silently. "Good, the pieces are in place. First, I'll activate my last face-down, another Embodiment of Apophis!" An identical black serpent slithered down from the walls. Hank watched with keen interest, his violet eyes shining.

"Now, I offer up both of my trap monsters for a tribute summon!" His two monsters dematerialized into white light, that same light coalescing into a large sphere. What was he summoning that could contend with Raviel?

"I summon the legendary planet, a monster that casts judgment on its adversary and instills dread in the hearts of House Ishtar's foes! **The Despair Uranus (2900/2300)**!" The light around the sphere dimmed to reveal a moon-like object with blue and gold adornments all over. It hovered high above us all, even looking down at Raviel near the ceiling of the pyramid.

"What?!" Hank gasped, his first true show of surprise, and I was in the same boat. How on Ra's green earth did the Ishtars get their hands on a legendary planet?

"I was entrusted with this card four years ago, from Maximillion Pegasus himself. I forget the man's name, but the man who originally designed the planet cards was found dead soon after completing the series, as was his wife. The cards were meant to go to his son, but both Kaiba and Maximillion Pegasus agreed that placing ten one of a kind cards in the hands of an orphaned boy would only serve to make him a target, as the boy already had a unique deck that his father built for him." Odion explained.

My eyes widened. "Aster Phoenix…"

"Yes, that was his name. I knew it was something with a Phoenix. Anyways, Pegasus did not seem to like the idea of all the planets gathered together, so he gave me this, with the caveat that I never use it unless absolutely necessary. You at least have the honor of driving me to my limits, Hank." Odion finished, his brown eyes unyielding.

Hank did not seem particularly interested in this little lore dump, clearly more intrigued by the planet's power. "I could make a Uranus joke, but I won't."

Realizing what Hank was implying, Odion immediately starting pronouncing it as "ur-ah-nus", rather than "your-anus" as he was saying it earlier. "Erm…" Was it the lighting, or was that a faint tinge of embarrassment on Odion's face? "Anyways, I'm sure your interested in this card's effect."

"Well, I'm curious mainly because it's being used against me." Hank interjected, and in that moment they seemed more like two family members bickering than ever before.

"When this monster is summoned while I control no spell or trap cards, you must choose between a continuous spell or a continuous trap." Odion's exposition clumsily broke off the banter.

"Which spell and trap?" Hank asked, confused.

"I mean that I can set whichever card of the type you choose from my deck. So choose either a spell or a trap."

"Oh, ok. Eh…I choose a continuous spell. Figure you have less of those." This mundane confusion over wording was kinda killing the tension, but such were the complicated ways of duel monsters.

"Very well. In that case, I shall activate the card I just set! The continuous spell **Temple of the Kings**! While this card is on the field, I can activate one trap card from my hand per turn! Furthermore, Despair Uranus gains 300 attack points for every face-up spell and trap on my field, and while he is on the field, my face-up spells and traps cannot be destroyed by card effects!" Odion declared as his monster reached 3200 attack points.

"Now, attack Sangan!" Rings of energy shot out from the moon's body, ripping the Sangan to shreds and sending Hank flying backwards. His guards had to catch him before he hit the wall, causing a three-body pileup **. (Odion 1300/Hank 1800)**

"Argh…" Hank rubbed his head gingerly as he rose to his feet, and when he withdrew his hand, it was spotted red. Crimson beads dotted his white hair, and Hank's hand clenched into a fist. "So, you haven't lost your nerve after all. But neither have I. I would rather bleed a free man than live another day as a tomb keeper."

"Don't say that. Don't make me do something I don't want to do!" Odion warned, concern creeping into his voice.

"I thought it didn't matter what you wanted?" Hank said snidely, and truth be told, it made me uncomfortable how willing he was to die for this. I feared returning to the abyss, while he was courting it recklessly.

Odion had nothing to say to that, so he set the last card in his hand and ended his turn. As Hank drew, his eyes never left Odion's monster. "I'm not an idiot, I know perfectly you must have a defensive trap in order to cover your ass from that previous play. But I'll find a way around it soon…"

Considering his options for a time, Hank finally slid a card onto his duel disk. "I set a monster and end my turn."

Odion drew his next card in equally languid fashion. Breathing a sigh of relief, he slapped down **Card of Sanctity** on the board. As both he and Hank replenished their resources, I was glad that there weren't really any hand traps in this era. It sure would be a buzzkill if Hank drew Effect Veiler and Maxx C off that Sanctity. I also had to wonder if Odion's face-down was actually helpful or whether it was a bluff.

Either way, Odion was clearly not content with his current level of defense. "I cast forth the **Swords of Revealing Light**!" Bright green blades descended from nowhere, embedding in the stone and partitioning Hank's side of the field. The extra face-up spell on the board increased Uranus' attack strength to 3500. "Now, you cannot attack for three turns! And due to The Despair Uranus' effect, you cannot destroy the swords with card effects. Next, I shall set a trap, and then activate it due to the effect of the Temple of the Kings! I summon the trap monster **Statue of Anguish Pattern (0/2500)**!"

From the very ground itself rose a strange, spider-looking artifice with runic patterns painted on a sandalwood body. It was a bizarre card, but I knew it would be quite synergistic with Odion's style of dueling. He now had multiple layers of defense up and protection of those defenses on top of it all. The only problem was that if Hank got one attack off, that would be the game.

"Now, Despair Uranus, attack his set monster!" The sphere launched a more focused beam of light from its center directly at Hank's monster, which was revealed to be **Mystic Tomato (1400/1100).** " The demonic fruit was instantly fried and then vaporized by the legendary planet's blast, but this played into Hank's hand.

"When Mystic Tomato is destroyed, I can summon a dark monster with 1500 or less attack points from my deck to the field! I choose to summon **Phantom Skyblaster (1100/800)**!" A small dark blue demon with bat-like wings and cannons mounted on its shoulders fluttered down the ground, looking like a gnat next to Raviel.

Odion did not look too perturbed by this development, however. "I end my turn."

Hank snapped a card off the top of his deck. "I'm not able to attack, it's true, but during each of my standby phases, Phantom Skyblaster can deal 300 damage to you for each Skyblaster monster on my field!"

Twin spheres of energy launched from the bat's shoulder cannons, exploding on contact with Odion's tall frame. The burly tomb keeper was forced to take a step back, but otherwise handled the strike well. **(Odion 1000/Hank 1800)**

It was a good idea on Hank's part, I had to admit. Dealing passive burn damage to Odion every turn would force him into an aggressive position, which was obviously not Odion's forte. It would still take four turns to finish him though, so Odion still had some time to make something happen.

"Apart from that, your damnable swords prevent me from finishing this, so I shall set a card and end my turn." Hank played the face-down card as surreptitiously as possible – of course it was a battle trap to protect the Skyblaster. He wouldn't leave the little beast unprotected with a legendary planet facing him down.

But would Odion go for the aggressive play?

The tomb keeper knew that the line between victory and defeat was growing finer. "I'll…" He appeared to be struggling to make a decision. "I set a card and end my turn."

Hank's confidence dared to grow as he drew with a flourish. Like clockwork, the Skyblaster launched another blast at Odion, who hissed in pain despite his surely high tolerance for it. **(Odion 700/Hank 1800)**

"I will also set a card and end my turn." Hank echoed. They were both shoring up their resources – once the real fight begun again, it would be a chaotic cascade of chains and counters, like a game of Mouse Trap. Only one turn remained until the swords would vanish.

Odion grit his teeth and prepared to take the plunge. "I activate Temple of the Kings effect to play a trap card from my hand. I summon the trap monster **Metal Reflect Slime (0/3000)** in defense mode!" Onto Odion's crowded field came an ever-shifting mass of silver-mercury goo.

"More defense?" Hank inquired with a note of disappointment.

"No, quite the opposite. When a trap monster is special summoned, my Statue of Anguish Pattern's effect triggers, allowing me to destroy one card on the field!"

The spider-like wooden carving glowed blue with runic magic, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what card Odion was going to destroy. Azure flames conjured around Raviel's body. For a moment, I waited to see if Hank had any defensive response, but Raviel was well and truly burnt down by the flames, disappearing into ash and shadow. I breathed a sigh of relief. Since Hank's strategy primarily focused around summoning Raviel, this would surely be a devastating blow.

And yet, Hank did not frightened, but rather intrigued to see what Odion would do next. Probably because Raviel was off the field, Odion now felt comfortable going for a fatal blow on the Skyblaster. This would be the deciding move!

"This rebellion of yours is over, coz! Despair Uranus, attack his Phantom Skyblaster and end this!" Odion bellowed.

Hank sighed. "I suppose it was a fine enough strategy, Odion. It lacked…creativity, but what could I expect, really? Activate reverse card, **Ring of Destruction**!"

I think my eye twitched. That card, the flaming ring, has always been a harbinger of an unexpected reversal, an outcome that none truly thought could be possible. But he couldn't target Uranus with it, that would only cause the duel to be a draw. Unless….

Odion knew it as well, and he closed his eyes in resignation. The fiery halo closed in around the Phantom Skyblaster, which would result in a blast just strong enough to defeat Odion while preserving some of Hank's life points. It was a cunning move, and using Raviel as a misdirection was smart, I had to admit it. Odion and Hank were sent hurling to the ground as the makeshift bomb went off. But while Hank eventually rose, covered in ash though he was, Odion curled on the floor in pain. **(Odion 0/Hank 700)**

Black tendrils of smoke furled around Hank's fingertips. In a moment, I gaped in shock as Odion was pressed against the inner walls of the pyramid by the dark energy. Hank lifted one hand up as if to hold Odion in place. The rebel's white-blond hair was blackened by soot, as was his face, making the purple eyes of the Ishtar clan glow all the brighter. It coiled around Odion like shadowy ropes, holding down his arms and holding his head up so that he had no choice but to look Hank in the eye.

The victor glanced at his five guards. "Leave now and find some horses. Outside of my house is a jeep that we got from town. We'll take that out of here." Obediently, the co-conspirators took their leave, their footsteps growing dimmer as they weaved through the pyramids.

Hank stepped forward into the torchlight, and his expression was not crazed or even triumphant, but solemn. "And so, my chains are broken."

Odion strained desperately against the binds, but there was nothing he could do. He looked at me as if I could do anything to help. Frankly, I was frozen. "I failed…" Odion muttered, ashamed.

"No." To my surprise, Hank contradicted him. "I have prevailed, but not because of some failing on your part. It is as I said earlier – someone fighting to prop up an unjust hierarchy cannot prevail against the spirit yearning to be free."

How poetic. In my opinion, Hank won because he drew the right cards at the right time, not because his cause, which boiled down to hedonism, was just. But then, perhaps there was something to be said for one's will affecting the cards in this world…

"What now? Will you take up arms against my siblings as well? Against our entire house!?" Odion spat.

"You know, some would think you deserving of death for how vigorously you defend this horrid system, built on blood and burnings and sickened spirits. Perhaps it would be smart to kill you both and burn your bodies, so that our beloved house would never learn of your shame, Odion…" Hank said in a delicate, sardonic tone.

Cold fear gripped me, but somehow my tongue was working on autopilot. "It would be, unless you honestly believe Kaiba and the Ishtars would never put two and two together. Besides, there's probably some kind of ancient curse that comes with killing guys in a pharaoh's tomb. Just to be safe, you should be probably keep us alive."

Odion gave me a strange look, while Hank starting laughing. "You are an amusing boy, I'll give you that. But I was kidding. All I wanted was my freedom, and once my men return with the car, I shall have it. I'll admit the thought occurred to me to burn all this down, but then the shackled would be worked twice as hard to rebuild it. Soon enough, others will follow my example and stoke the embers within their souls…but for now, I must be content with my own independence. I suppose I should make haste, since you probably already called the others over here." He said casually. I tilted my head and shrugged as if to say "What was I supposed to do?" This guy was strangely affable – maybe if I could keep him talking, I could stall him long enough for the others to arrive.

That plan went out the window when I felt Odion's burly frame slam into mine, sending us both to the floor. With a flick of his hand, Hank sent Odion flying into me, causing one of the nearby torches to fall from the wall. The wind was knocked out of me and I felt sharp pain in my back as I hit the ground. Odion was disoriented and in immense pain, so it was difficult getting him off of me. By the time I got up, Hank had already disappeared into the depths of the pyramid, doubtless setting up traps along the way in case we pursued.

The anger suddenly shot through me like a geyser. "FUCK!" I bellowed, the curse echoing through the crypt. It was probably some sort of sin to swear in a holy tomb, but I didn't really give a shit at the moment. Where the fuck where the others?

As if cue, I could hear them coming. Marik was first in, followed by a prompt Roland. After them were Kaiba and Ishizu. For some reason, both of them were breathing harder than Marik and Roland, and Ishizu seemed rather flushed.

"Odion!" Ishizu cried out with worry after seeing her brother prone on the floor. Her and Marik rushed over to his side.

"What happened? Are you badly hurt?" Marik asked in a surprisingly gentle tone of voice.

"I...I failed completely. Hank defeated me soundly and managed to escape." Odion choked out. I wouldn't say he defeated him soundly, it was a good game, but Odion seemed pretty hard on himself.

"What do you mean he escaped? I thought you said all of your vehicles were accounted for?!" Kaiba roared.

"He said that he got a car from town…" I trailed off.

"Well let's find them, now! If we hurry, we can get back to the compound and start scanning the area by air!" As Kaiba spoke, Roland already began typing something in on his phone, presumably contacting our pilot.

Ishizu gave Kaiba a reproachful look. "Odion requires medical attention! We cannot just leave him here."

"I'll…I'll be fine-" Odion started to say before a round wracking coughs cut him off.

"Oh, knock it off, brother." Marik said, seemingly exasperated. "Enough of this self-sacrifice. You mean a lot to us, and it's important for you to be treated well." I was surprised – such words were certainly a far cry from Marik's attitude in the Battle City tournament.

While Kaiba silently fumed, Ishizu called some of the compound's first responders. Of course, if it had been Mokuba or even Roland who got injured, Kaiba would have dropped everything to see them taken care of, but I dared not give voice to that little observation. Smart of the Ishtars to have some medical professionals on site, a twenty-plus minute drive from the nearest town would be potentially quite costly.

Marik and I carried Odion outside, an extremely cumbersome act due to the narrow halls, though the main path outside wasn't nearly as cramped as the secret way Odion and I entered through. Beside the two horses Odion and I rode in on, there was a busted old jeep that I assumed the other four arrived in.

In ten minutes, a group of five paramedics arrived on the scene, declaring that Odion's injuries would not be life threatening, but there was some burning as well as blunt force trauma and concussive damage. It could have been a lot worse. Hank was surprisingly merciful – did he still bear some familial affection for Odion, despite the latter's adopted status? Or did he lack the will to kill, and merely hid it behind pragmatic rationalization? Either way, it was not such a high cost this time.

" _Christ, is that the sort of man I am now?"_ I thought as Odion was loaded onto a stretcher. " _Thinking of such costs like this as cheap? Sure, things could have been worse, but that doesn't make this alright."_ Although on some level I sympathized with Hank's desire for freedom, there was no question that Raviel would have to be stripped from him. Of course, Kaiba would hunt him to the ends of the earth with or without my approval on the matter, a fact that caused a rumbling of discontent within me. _"One way or another, Kaiba gets what he wants…"_

Once Odion was safely in care, the remaining five of us rode back to the compound, Marik and I taking the horses while Ishizu drove Kaiba and Roland back with the jeep. The ride back was silent but for the sound of hooves stamping against the sand. After we got back, we watered our mounts before returning them to the stables. As the horses drank from freshly filled buckets, Marik turned to me.

"Thank you for your help, Lancaster." Hey, he remembered "my" last name.

"I did next to nothing." I said ruefully. "Next time, I wouldn't mind getting my shot at him, though."

"You'll have to content yourself with whatever is left of my dear cousin once I am finished with him." Marik said with a dark chuckle. "Hank might be getting a little reunion with the old me, up close and personal." I felt a chill run through me.

When we got back to the others, I found that Kaiba and Ishizu had already developed a plan of action. "The closest city of any size is Al Minya to the north. I am certain Hank will try and lose us there and try to book a flight, though I can't be sure how much money he has to his name. I will work with what contacts I have there and see what can be done." Ishizu explained briefly to us.

"We'll stay in contact. My resources are already spread thin trying to find the other beasts, so any assistance you could offer would be. As is, we should return to Domino. I left Mokuba in charge in my absence, and knowing him he probably got his ass kidnapped again." Kaiba sarcastically jested.

"You shouldn't joke about such things, Seto." Ishizu calmly reprimanded.

Kaiba evenly met her eyes before shaking his head. "Always the wet blanket." Turning to Roland and I, he asked if we were both prepared to leave. We both nodded, and in that moment I suddenly realized how tired I was, not just because of lack of sleep, but just in general. This world was so much more complicated than I thought it would be at first, and there is only so much I, a single man, can do to change things for the better.

Marik merely gave us a silent wave before returning to his chambers, no doubt plotting some kind of vengeance. Ishizu gave us a warmer farewell.

"Thank you for your assistance, gentlemen. I'm sure we will be able to track him down in due time." She said diplomatically, covering the top of her head with her shawl.

"Well, we have plenty to do on our end in the meantime." Kaiba replied. More silent words seemed to be shared between them, and I was starting to wonder if this relationship was purely professional in nature. I hoped this wasn't their idea of subtlety if my suspicions were correct.

"Be safe, Seto." Ishizu smiled warmly. "And you two as well." She hastily amended the statement to include Roland and I. "I hope your internship is profitable and educational, mister Lancaster. Just try not to pick up your bosses bad habits." As she spoke, Kaiba was off to the side lighting up a dart.

"Thank you, miss. It was a pleasure meeting you all, if only it was under better circumstances." I said politely.

"Indeed, but it is such circumstances that forge us into something stronger." She said.

XxXxXxXXxXxxXXXXxXxXxXxXXxx

I got some fitful sleep on the plane, but if anything it only made me more exhausted than before. Roland seemed to rest just fine, never moving a muscle even while slumbering. I wonder if he trained to be so still or if it came naturally to him. Part of me was beginning to think Roland was a robot, but he did have kids, so that possibility is unlikely…

Kaiba never slept a wink that I saw. On the contrary, his fingers scarcely left his laptop keyboard except for when he would take an occasional quaff of Crown Royal Vanilla straight up.

"Ah, you're up." He handed me the bottle of liquor wordlessly, and I decided to take a pull for the hell of it. Kaiba let out a noise that was between a chuckle and a scoff. "There's a good man. I offered Misawa a shot of Malibu the other day and he made some lame excuse about how he's sixteen years and thus below the legal drinking age. What a pussy."

"Bastion is a very letter of the law kind of guy." I said.

"Hmm." Kaiba quickly pulled up a web page and seemingly forgot about me. After a minute, I said, "Was there something you needed from me, sir?"

"Huh? Oh, right. I found out some interesting information regarding the whereabouts of Hamon. Turns out it was sighted during an exhibition match between the American Duel Academy and North Academy. The game wasn't televised outside North America, but one of my contacts sent me a recording."

"North Academy?" I had a feeling I knew where this was going.

"Yes. There were two games happening at once. The number one students of both schools, Reggie Mackenzie and Chazz Princeton, dueled, with Princeton losing." Kaiba explained.

Wait a minute, Reggie Mackenzie? That name sounded really familiar…oh, you have got to be kidding me! Does Tragoedia exist in this universe as well, then? I'll have to pencil that in on the ol' to-do list at some point. And it looks like Chazz lost…not that I was particularly upset because of that fact, but it would be a problem if they somehow managed to steal his Light and Darkness Dragon.

"But that is none of our concern. The other match featured David Rabb and Jesse Anderson, who for some reason is wearing a fucking cowboy costume in the video. Anyways, Anderson manages to turn the tables on Rabb by summoning…guess who?" Kaiba finished with a tilt of the head.

"From all I have heard, Anderson is an honorable man. I'm sure he wouldn't mind returning Hamon if he realized its importance." I said, glad that that card at least had not ended up in the hands of Mackenzie or Rabb. I had sort of forgotten about Jesse, but he could be a great ally to have.

"And would you have any idea about these Crystal Beasts he uses?" Kaiba squinted at the screen.

"Oh, those? They are one of a kind, given to him by Pegasus himself, or so I hear. But they're not so powerful." I replied succinctly.

Kaiba frowned at the mention of Pegasus' name. "Oh goody, it's like a trip down memory lane these days. At any rate, knowing that Hamon is in the hands of a known student is a far better prospect than having it in the hands of some Ishtar vagabond. Uria could still be anywhere for all we know…"

He was starting to look tired now, but the resolve in his eyes never wavered. "But I will handle this later. You and Roland will go back to your regular duties at headquarters on Tuesday after your vacation day. You should go the beach or whatever the fuck it is you teenagers like to do on Monday, it looks like it'll be nice weather for it."

It was a confusing remark. Was he being…nice? But as I looked at the missed call notification from Alexis on my phone, I didn't think it was such a bad idea.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **Our escapade to Egypt was a bit short, but I assure you that it's all setting up for plots down the road, while also expanding the world a little bit. It's good to take a break from the Academy, at least for me as a writer lol. I hope you all found the change of scenery refreshing as well.**

 **I tried to make the conflict between Odion and Hank more grey in comparison to the usual hero vs villain type of battles. Sure, Hank's a bit smug, and Odion is allied with our protagonist, but I attempted to give both sides some sympathetic aspects to them. Hank seems very ambitious from Odion's perspective, but he really isn't – all he wants is to realize the ideal of freedom that has been fermenting in his mind for many years, and Raviel is the tool by which he was able to make that reality. You could say that he is an antagonist who is not totally villainous, as of this moment in time, but I am not terribly fond of Trope labels.**

 **Meanwhile, we've got Chazz licking his wounds while Mackenzie, David, and their father scheme. Mackenzie and David's father is not given a first name in the manga, instead they went with the asinine choice of merely calling him "mister Mackenzie", so I literally just went on an "American Male Name" generator online and went for the first name that popped up for the sake of convenience. Idk why the mangaka didn't give him a first name haha, so I decided to take the liberty. Mackenzie will be going undercover at the beginning of what would be Season 2 in the anime...so needless to say Academy Island is going to see many differing ambitions clash before long.**

 **Next time we're having a beach episode, as all anime must have! Look it up, it's actually a law. Like I will literally go to prison (again) if I do not put a beach episode in. But it's not filler, there will be other events happening as well. It's been hard for me to write lately, but I'm doing what I can. We'll catch you guys next time!**


	32. And Bridges Built

Chapter 32: And Bridges Built

Songs:

Flamingosis – Getting Close To You

Vanilla - Traveller

Vicetone ft. Collin McLoughlin - Heartbeat

Kingdom Hearts II OST – Kairi's Theme

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

After I got back to my house that night, I crashed for about ten hours before blearily waking to the sound of a churning coffee pot. I threw on a maroon t-shirt and a pair of khaki shorts before doing a few pushups to get the blood flowing. Before heading downstairs, I decided to take a more detailed look around the bedroom.

Jamie seemed to be a soccer fan, judging by the big Messi poster he had near his closet. There were a few maps of Japan, China, the United States with red lines drawn along some of the roads with the cities dotted an identical color. I presume he was marking where he had traveled to before. There was also a Dragon Ball Z poster near his window, showing Goku, Vegeta, Future Trunks, Piccolo, and Krillin in various battle stances.

As was true of almost all teenage boys, his room was messy, or at least it had been before I started cleaning it. Joanna was quite happy about that, as apparently Jamie was none too fond of chores, which was also a trait common to most teenage boys.

I made my way downstairs and immediately made for the coffee pot Tobias must have brewed earlier this morning. Joanna was watching something on the Discovery Channel whilst folding laundry in the living room. When she heard my footsteps sounding down the staircase, she got up from the couch to meet me.

"Finally, you're up! I'm glad you're back, though I am surprised your work trip was so short. What were you guys working on, anyhow?" She asked with motherly curiosity.

"Oh, mister Kaiba was just meeting with some partners of his based in Egypt. All I did was print some forms and make coffee, it was quite boring in all honesty." I said with an affected grimace.

"Still, the fact that you're assisting the CEO himself is quite incredible! If you keep making a good impression, you could get a great job right out of school." She replied as she did up her light brown hair into a messy bun.

"Yeah, for sure." The idea of working for Kaiba all my life did not sound appealing at this point in time. The money would be amazing, to be sure, but there's a lot more to life than that. I'm sure for most young boys it would be a dream come true to have the ear of the great Seto Kaiba, the White Dragon. There were aspects of the man that were admirable, but to work for him my whole life? It would be really great to work for myself if possible…I would be busy doing something constructive and my mind would be away from the past. But I wasn't sure what to do. Since it was actually possible to base a career around Duel Monsters in this world (a fundamental absurdity that I still can't wrap my brain around), then it would sure be cool to do something related to the game.

"It's nice that you got a paid vacation day tomorrow, honey bun. Is there a chance you could mow the lawn for me?" Joanna asked.

"Sure. I was thinking that a few buddies and I might head out to the coast tomorrow though, so perhaps I could mow in the evening?" I asked while cracking eggs into a bowl. Adding a little cream, I whipped the yolks together and poured them into a pan. It was easier to talk to them while I was doing something else.

"Oh, how fun! Who will be going with you?" She asked, having asked about some of my friends in letters and over the past week.

"I don't know yet. Bastion perhaps, and maybe Alexis and her brother Atticus." I said noncommittally.

"Ooh, a girl? Go get her, tiger! And don't let her brother scare you off!" Is it some sort of law that moms have to say this sort of thing? I gave a wry chuckle. Although I did have to wonder if Atticus was protective at all about Alexis…what am I saying, he tried to hook her up with Chazz! I've got to be a better catch than him, right?

"Well, we'll see if they're busy or not." It would be nice to chill out for a day after the craziness of the past week, and knowing the craziness still yet to come.

After breakfast, I went outside and gave Alexis a call. It was late morning on a Sunday, so I imagined she wasn't too incredibly busy.

" _Well well well, look who decided to call back. What's up, Jamie?"_

"It's hard to look at anything over the phone." I couldn't resist the dig. "Sorry I missed your call, it's been busy these past couple days."

"I can imagine, from everything I've heard Kaiba is quite the workaholic. Were you guys pulling an all-nighter on some project?" She asked, curious.

"Something like that. It's a pretty interesting story, I'd like to tell you it in person. Are you in town?" I assume she was yesterday if she was calling me. Then again, maybe she wasn't and just wanted to catch up. I knew that the Rhodes family didn't reside in Domino, but I forgot exactly where they lived.

"Yeah, we're in Domino for the week, visiting some family. Everyone is so happy to see Atticus alive and well. He's soaking up the attention, of course." Alexis said with a laugh. "I was just trying to see if anyone wanted to hang out." She said coyly.

"What are you doing tomorrow? I have a vacation day since I put in some overtime." I cut straight to the point.

"Not a whole lot now that I think about it. I think Atticus and my dad are going golfing, so I'll just be hanging around…" She trailed off.

"Well, it's been a stressful last couple of days and I was going to go spend a day at the beach since it's only an hour's drive." Pausing, I decided to just go for it. "What time should I pick you up?"

She sounded pleasantly surprised. "I can be ready by eight-thirty."

"Sounds good, just drop me an address sometime today." Hanging up, I breathed a sigh of relief. If talking to girls was like walking through a minefield, then talking to them over the phone was like walking through a minefield laced with barbed wire. Luckily, we were able to set up logistics in pretty short order. I knew Alexis didn't like bullshit, generally speaking, and neither did I, so this should be a fun outing. Now then, what do people do at beaches? I didn't really live close to any in my old life…

XxxXxXxXXxxXXXxxXXxxXXXxxXx

Luckily, Jamie Lancaster got his driver's license when he turned 15, his birthday being August 1. One whole month before I came into the picture.

"Have a great day honey bun! Wear lots of sunscreen! What time will you be back?" Joanna asked.

"Oh, around suppertime I imagine, probably six or six-thirty. I'll have to get to bed early tonight." I responded.

Tobias looked up from reading the monthly livestock journal. He worked in a corporate office, I knew, but his job had something to do with agriculture. I didn't really want to ask because I assumed the real Jamie already knew about it. I didn't really see him yesterday because he was out on a fishing trip with some buddies of his.

"Make sure not to put cheap gas in that car." He peered at me over the paper, his slate blue eyes covered with a pair of thin reading glasses. I was borrowing Joanna's car for the day since she didn't need it for anything. It was a dark red CRV, a solid mom car that wasn't too embarrassing for a son to drive around in.

"Yes, sir." I nodded, not sure if he was being entirely serious or not.

He answered my unspoken question a moment later with a smile. "Have a good time with your friends, son."

With that, I rolled out onto the highway, these open roads utterly unfamiliar to me. And yet, this sort of change, in its normalcy, was nice in its own way. My drive took me by lakes and hills, and I took in with a cup of coffee in hand.

After about an hour, I pulled up outside the house the Rhodes family was apparently staying at. Shooting her a text, I sat and waited. In a moment, she came outside, wearing a light blue tank and cutoff jean short shorts. A pair of nice-looking sunglasses rested atop her messy blonde hair.

"Hi, Jamie!" Opening the passenger door, she leaned over to give me a hug. The fact that I was seated help mask how much shorter I was than her. I think she was even taller than Atticus.

"Good to see you!" I replied in kind. "So this is where you guys are at for the week, huh?"

"Yeah, my cousin's place." Ooh, I wonder if her cousin's hot.

"He moved out here a couple of years ago for work." She elaborated. He? Oh well, can't win em all. Wait a minute, I can't go around wondering after hot cousins, people might start thinking I'm a harem protagonist!

"What is Atticus doing today?" I pretended that I was sad he couldn't make it for the sake of decorum.

"He'll find some way to keep busy. I gave him the slip earlier." She said, and I laughed – apparently my decorum was not needed!

"Why?" I asked as we merged onto the highway.

"For some reason he and Crowler of all people have been trying to get me to start up a pop music career."

Oh yes, I forgot about this fucking ridiculous subplot. "Well, sounds like a profitable endeavor. I didn't know you made music." I feigned ignorance for the sake of amusing myself.

"I don't. I want to be a teacher." She said waspishly.

"Why, you guys could be the next Kardashians if you play your cards right." I smirked.

"Who the hell are the Kardashians?" She asked quizzically. Oh shit, does the Kardashian family exist in this world? I confess that I didn't really keep abreast of such news.

"Oh, they're just some reality television stars my mom watches." I said frantically, keeping my eyes firmly on the road.

"Huh, never heard of them." Alexis said, scratching her head.

"Anyways, the point is that you're not going into the entertainment industry." I changed the subject with dazzling grace and subtlety.

"Not a chance. But enough about that, I want to hear about what working for Kaiba is like. I only met him the one time during that key keeper meeting, and he seemed like a total douchebag." She said casually, putting on her sunglasses as we turned east.

"That's because he is a total douchebag. But he's also the hardest worker I've ever met, and I have a lot I can learn from him. As for what we've been doing the last couple of days…well, you know how the Sacred Beasts were scattered across the planet, right?" I grew grave.

"Yeah, Jaden mentioned it, but he didn't seem too worried about it. I guess that guy is always pretty chill though."

"Kaiba and I found out one was in Egypt. Bad part was that it fell into the hands of this guy named Hank Ishtar."

Alexis giggled, "That's definitely not his real name."

"I swear it is, I guess his parents were a bit weird. But what we found was that this man had been planning to rebel against House Ishtar for many years, and Raviel was the spark that convinced him to go through with it. He beat back Odion, one of the finalists from Battle City, and managed to escape before we could catch him." I explained, giving her the abridged summary.

"No way! So there's another crazy guy out there with shadow magic?" She grit her teeth.

" _Well, there's a lot of crazy people out there, and not all them use shadow magic. Hank is actually the least of my worries right now, especially if these rumblings about Tragoedia are true."_ I thought with grim humor.

"To be honest, although he was a bit smug, he didn't seem as crazy as you might think." I said, my tone becoming a bit melancholy.

"What do you mean?" She asked, not seeming to expect this sort of response from me.

"The life of a tomb keeper is hard and thankless, and I think he just had enough of it all. He said that he wanted to experience the world, and live an adventurous life. If it were up to me, I'd prefer to live and let live, but Kaiba won't stop until Raviel is back in his control. Which I suppose if for the best, in the end."

We were both quiet for a time. "I guess I don't know the whole story, but there are other people who want the Sacred Beasts besides Kaiba, right? Is it possible that Hank made himself a target with this action?" Alexis said evenly.

"Perhaps. It would probably be best if he just destroyed the damn card, it's given us enough trouble as is and it's not even good. Regardless, he'll be a hunted man for a while…a long while…."

XxXxXxXxXxxxXxXXXX

(Hank Ishtar POV)

After a harrowing few days, Hank managed to reach Cairo. His men had scattered off, heading in every which direction so as to throw the Ishtar compound's scouts off the trail.

If they were lucky enough to make it out of the country, Hank suspected they would be safe. None of their names held as much infamy in combination as his did singularly.

His name…Hank had only grown more and more resentful of his name as time went on. It had created such a chasm between him and his peers, especially when they were children. Such fools his parents were – did they mean for him to grow up mocked and ridiculed? Why did they give him such a ridiculous name? They never gave a straight answer on the multiple occasions he asked them, instead spewing meaningless platitudes about how "it's what's on the inside that counts" or some such nonsense. That may have been true, but it didn't stop the other children from giving him swirlies. Imagine that.

So instead he tried to be the "better man", and rise above their bullying by becoming the best tomb keeper he could possibly be. When Marik recruited his clansmen ten years as Rare Hunters in his bid for the Egyptian Gods, Hank remained loyal to Ishizu anyway, but it didn't matter. Marik and his goons were all pardoned for their crimes and were allowed to return to their duties. Marik sang some song about a Japanese teenager claiming to be the Pharaoh Atem reborn (of all the blasphemous ideas!) banishing the evil from his heart. Not only was Marik allowed to remain a tomb keeper, but a few years later he ascended to the status of clan head after his predecessor passed on.

Ishizu would have been ten times the clan head that Marik was, but the clan strictly adhered to patrilineal succession, and so Marik ascended to the position by virtue of the fact that he had a cock and balls. _"Though that is more than Odion can say at the very least…"_

Taking a deep breath, Hank tried to banish the resentment from his mind. It was nice and quiet inside his cheap hotel room, the city beginning to calm down after a long summer day. He took a moment to rest on his mattress, wearing a simple black t-shirt and jeans. "I'm not that person anymore. This anger only holds me back…I must be free!"

And so, he resolved to undergo a transformation he had been thinking about ever since he fled from the Ishtar home. Moving to the cramped bathroom, he took out a razor and scissors, beginning to cut his distinctive white-blond hair. It was a clumsy job, as he had no experience cutting hair, but he got it down to a short, simple style.

Then, he procured a vial of hair dye. This was the part he wasn't looking forward to, as he had always liked the color of his hair. But acknowledging the necessity of it, Hank applied it according to the directions on the bottle, watching his bright blond hair change to a muddy dark brown.

He threw on a red jacket, as well as an identically colored hat, slanted down to cover his purple irises. It was finished. Hank Ishtar was no more. But now he needed a new name. There was certainly no lock of options on that score, but the choice needed to be a good one. There was much power in a name.

"In chaotic times, that which is formless and immutable prospers. What better word to describe me than a vagabond? Yes, from this moment on I am The Vagabond!"

XxXxxXxXXxXXXXxxXXXxxXX

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

We made it to the eastern coast at last! The drive took a while, but Alexis made for good company, so it didn't seem so long. Sand stretched for a few miles in either direction, with the waves of the Pacific Ocean surprisingly calm. Above the sands was a boardwalk with various tacky souvenir shops and food vendors set up along the way. Behind that was a Ferris wheel and other carnival games. The place wasn't very busy, as it was a Monday morning. Most of the people here on the younger end, most likely high schoolers or college students, as well as younger kids there with babysitters.

We set up our towel and umbrella, stripping down to our swimsuits after that. She wore a light blue halter top bikini while I had some white swim trunks that were a bit too large but were the only ones I had.

"I'm going to tan, can you put this sunscreen on my back?" She said coyly. Ah, this old trick. A test so many guys fail.

"Sure." I said, making my features as cool and blank as possible. I personally thought she looked better pale, but it's not like I was about to say that.

As she laid down, I lathered up my hands with the sunscreen. It was a very high SPF, so perhaps she was aiming to stay pale after all. "So, just out of curiosity, how strong a duelist is Atticus?" I asked nonchalantly as she let out a little shudder, my hands rubbing her back and shoulders. Of course, keeping up conversation helped make this less tense, but I was genuinely curious as well. Atticus was an unknown quantity in this universe. In the anime, he was pretty much fodder, while in the manga he was on par with Zane and capable of kicking Jaden's ass. That was a big range.

"Uhm…I guess it depends on what you mean by strong. Why, what have you heard?" Her blush was impossible to hide, but then teenagers are not known for their emotional subtlety.

"Well, I know he likes to pal around with the Kaiser. Would you say the two are comparable?" I asked as my hands moved to her lower back.t

"Their friendship gives them an air of equality, but Zane can wipe the floor with my brother eight days to Sunday. I think that's why he likes to spar with you so much. I haven't seen him enjoy dueling as much as he has in the past year." Alexis said contentedly, closing her eyes and resting her head.

"Aww, you're making me blush." I absentmindedly snarked as I moved to her legs.

"I remember at the beginning of the year, everyone thought you were an upstart because of the way you duel. Honorless, too reliant on trickery." She murmured.

"No offense, but criticizing how someone plays a card game is probably the most petty bullshit ever."

"Zane in particular didn't think you were much better than Chazz at first, but obviously he came around. A lot of the others did as well."

" _Well, everyone likes a winner."_ I thought darkly. I still don't believe the Obelisk Blues genuinely respect me. They probably still think of me as a trickster, a social climber not to be trusted, which will make telling them about the Society of Light difficult. If at all possible, I'd like to gather the Obelisks under one banner, and put aside our selfish squabbles to attack the Light as a unit. There would be no Obelisk White on my watch. But what was the best way to rally this bunch of arrogant, privileged brats? It wouldn't be easy…something to think on.

"What about you? Did you end up coming around in the end?" I asked lightly.

"Hmm, I suppose." Alexis seemed to waver, as if she was not quite sure, and we both laughed. "I think I'm good on sunscreen." She raised her head.

With a start, I realized that I had been rubbing her shoulders for like a minute and a half. "Right." I stepped back. "Well, I'm just going to read my book then."

I got through about eight pages of my book before falling asleep for nearly two hours, still a bit worn out from the Egypt debacle.

The day that followed was one I would remember for a long time, and it would sustain me through some dark times. We went swimming before heading up for a ride on the ferris wheel. Finally, we ended off the day with some ice cream on the boardwalk, watching the cream orange sunset.

"I really shouldn't be eating this, ice cream is so hard to work off." Alexis resisted for about a minute before digging into her banana split, eating a vigor more suited for Jaden than her usual composed, cool self.

"You better eat it, I bought it." I said with mock sternness, taking a scoop out of my mint chip. I would have rather gone Dutch, but I was in a great mood and decided to buy it for her this time. I was certainly making enough money now to afford it, and she seemed to appreciate it.

"Yeah, yeah." Alexis rolled her eyes. The action was a trigger. Suddenly, my sight seemed to glitch and blur like a busted VHS tape as I recalled a moment from my old life that was just like this, down to the sunset. I was happy then, too. Before that girl betrayed my trust and left me for the wolves... the familiar hatred burned before I realized that was what led to me dying in the first place. What led to me ending up here, in this moment, with this girl. In the end, the strife and selfishness gives way to friendship and love.

I was broken from my rather ponderous reverie by the sound of Alexis softly giggling. "What?" I said more snappishly than I intended.

"You're funny." She said not in a way that suggested I was humorous, but that I was strange, a little off, _funny_.

"Thanks, I try. Remind me of the joke."

"Oh, relax. I just think it's funny how you get the same look when you're thinking about something, every time. But I can never tell just what you're thinking about. You know, most guys would be staring at me right now –" She gestured to two guys at another table staring at her sideboob, causing them to avert their gaze bashfully. " – but you've been staring at your steadily melting mint chip for the past 30 seconds."

"Just had a lot on my mind lately. Why, would you rather I stare?" I dug into my ice cream before it melted completely. I ate it too fast, and proceeded to get an ice cream headache, or a "brainfreeze" as it is known in many circles. "Ah, fuck!" I cursed, placing a hand to my temple.

She laughed again. "You certainly are a smooth operator, Jamie. I still remember those lame lines you tried on me back when we first met."

"You say that now, but they worked, didn't they?" I countered as my brainfreeze began to thaw. From there, we seemed to return to our usual banter, as we had similar senses of humor. Alexis was often pigeonholed into playing the mother of the group, which made sense considering most of her friends were man-children obsessed with dueling. But given the right circumstances, her wit could be sharp as an icicle, and she took on a whole new persona.

Soon enough, it was time to leave. We drove back in relative quiet, Alexis napping on the way. It gave me time to think about something very important to me.

I missed the deadline I set for my parents, and it was already getting dark when I had to stop for fuel. The annoyingly bright lights of the gas station woke Alexis up, the strange position she was sleeping in leaving her hair a bit of a mess.

I made my decision. There was so much to worry about. I was in a new job working under the biggest megalomaniac I had ever met. Tragoedia was out there, making moves that threatened the lives of my friends, and Chazz. The Society of Light threatened the very planet itself. And if Yubel ever got their hands on me, then I would die by inches, and the universe itself would suffer their wrath. Horrors lurked in the shadows while others stood in the light, and I had no idea how many existed in this crapsaccharine world. I could die any day. Fuck, I've already died before, so why I am worried about anything? This is all a bonus! Well, _bonus_ might be a generous way of putting it, but this is something extra in any case.

After filling the car, I walked over to the passenger seat, the window already rolled down. She raised an eyebrow. "Hey."

"Hey." I responded, intensity welling within me. "Look, I'm just tired of the bullshit." That was the only way I could give voice to the maelstrom of thoughts – it was all bullshit. This moment was all that was real.

I kissed her, hard and sudden, and I could feel her breath being taken away. Her lips were cold, like the rest of her. Always so cold. They were dry and a bit chapped in places from the salty sea wind. Simultaneously, we each placed a hand on the back of the other's hand, keeping our lips pressed close.

Soon, we separated. "Sorry, I just wanted to see what would happen if I tried that." I said with a smile light of heart and red-stained cheeks. This would be the moment of truth. What was one more burnt bridge anyways?

"I've wondered about it as well." Alexis replied, breathing deeply. "I want to try that again."

We tried that again.

XxXxXxXXxXxXXxxXXxxXXxXXXXxXX

I spent most of the next day at work smiling, even as I was copying forms and reviewing last quarter's net income.

At lunchtime, I was called to Kaiba's office for a quick meeting. I schooled my face into what I thought was a professional mask, but nothing seemed to escape Kaiba.

"So, how was she?" He asked casually, lighting up a cigar. I noted, not the first time, the disabled and forgotten smoke alarm in the corner of the ceiling.

I hadn't been that caught off-guard in a while. "What do you mean?" I asked dumbly.

"I know a man who got laid last night when I see one. Roland mentioned that you seemed in a good mood." Kaiba sneered, blowing smoke rings upwards.

"Well, joke's on you, we only kissed." I replied haughtily, though that line sounded a lot better in my head.

Kaiba paused, looking genuinely confused for a moment. "Sometimes I forget how young you are. Only kissing…haven't heard that one in a while."

" _How young I am, he says."_ I thought with a grumble. "With all due respect, sir, she was not comfortable moving so fast." I said diplomatically. What I didn't mention is that I wasn't comfortable moving that fast either. I did have some sexual experience from my old life, but I really didn't want to go that far yet. Fuck me, I can't wait for the fucking "so what are we?" question. Better start rehearsing my response now like I would for a job interview. On the rest of the drive back, Alexis and I simply conversed as we normally did, and she hopped out of my car with the rather innocuous-sounding suggestion that we hang out together soon. Were this my old life, I probably would have bedded her already, but something about this still seemed really bizarre, even wrong.

"Hmph. Well, congratulations nonetheless." He handed me a cigar, and I decided to take it. "You have no idea how to smoke a cigar, do you?" Kaiba asked mockingly.

"Yeah, I do." I grabbed his lighter, having learned how to do this in my old life. I inhaled and blew out a jellyfish cloud to wordlessly punctuate the point. Kaiba raised his eyebrows.

"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle. It's shit like this that makes me think you're older than you are. Anyways, I called you in today to let you know that I'll be leaving on Thursday for Norway. I just so happen to be meeting with a client there, but I also mean to retrieve Hamon from this Jesse Anderson kid. I just sent his parents emails explaining the situation, and I don't expect any trouble. Of course, no one ever expects any trouble until it actually happens." Kaiba explained.

I nodded. "Best of luck, sir." I would think Jesse would understand why the beast needed to be sealed again. I'm sure it was a valuable asset to his deck, but he managed to be the number two student at North Academy without it. Then again, he might be number one since he won his exhibition match while Chazz lost his. The idea of Chazz being humbled did not trouble me a bit. But still, from what I knew of canon, Jesse was quite humble and knew how to keep the big picture in perspective. If anything, the trouble would probably be caused by Kaiba being hostile and arrogant like he always is.

But I knew better than to voice that aloud. "I take it mister Mokuba will be running day to day operations again?"

"Yes, in fact I expect he will be here shortly – "As Kaiba spoke, he was interrupted by the sound of his office phone ringing.

"Hello? Ah, good. Come to my office immediately. Thank you." He said tersely to whoever had called him.

"Roland was just picking Mokuba up from his university classes. They'll be up in a moment." He said. And so, I was paid to sit down and smoke a cigar for the next five minutes. This job wasn't so bad after all!

A pleasant "bing" noise signaled the door opening behind me. Roland walked in first, and I could tell from his somewhat relaxed expression that the day off was good for him as well. Then again, I would also be rather pleased with myself if I were married to a Brazilian supermodel like Roland supposedly is.

Behind him sauntered in a college-aged guy, a few years older than me, or this body rather. This had to be Mokuba. His haircut was a similar length as Kaiba's, and black, so dark that I thought it might have been dyed. He wore a maroon sweater with the words "DOMINO STATE UNIVERSITY" printed in white lettering. Otherwise, he wore plain jeans and white sneaks, nothing to suggest that he was heir to a stupidly wealthy international corporation. He was also quite tall, nearly as tall as his brother.

"Hey, bro." The casual address left no doubt that this was Kaiba's own flesh and blood – surely no one else would be comfortable referring to him so familiarly. On the edge of his sweatshirt sleeve, I think I saw the beginnings of a tattoo, though I couldn't tell what it was supposed to be.

"Mokuba." Kaiba stood and shook his younger brother's hand. The simple gesture signaled that much about their relationship had changed in ten years, which was only natural considering Mokuba was only a kid back in the original series. They seemed much more a partnership now. I wondered idly if Mokuba had learned anything of dueling from his older brother.

"Lancaster, allow me to introduce you to my younger brother, Mokuba Kaiba." Kaiba quickly gestured between us. I inclined my head quickly and shook the younger brother's hand as well.

"Ah, you must be that guy who took down Kagemaru. Nice to meet ya!" Mokuba said, seeming to have a more friendly management style than his brother. Then again, almost anyone would probably have a more friendly management style than dear old Seto.

"It is good to meet you as well, sir." I said stiffly.

"Mokuba will be taking my place completely in my absence, so any questions or concerns you have can be handled by him. I expect I will return by Friday." Kaiba said briskly. "Now leave us. I have a few things to discuss with my brother in private."

Roland and I quickly nodded and returned to our work. I could only hope that Kaiba would handle the situation well. The last thing I needed was more enemies.

XxXxXxXxxxXXxXXXxxX

(?)

"The mad king has spent the last moon fortifying the Citadel of Endymion, sending one of his foremost generals, the Skull Knight to oversee the matter. Our scouts have seen them draw their standing forces from the nearby villages, consolidating them inside the city walls."

"Have our movements been so obvious? I would think not…there must be something of value inside the Citadel he wants to safeguard."

Blade Knight was speaking with the duel spirit of Command Knight, an attractive blonde woman in bold crimson armor. She was one of his most trusted confidantes, and rumor had it among Yubel's cabal that she was the only one who had ever seen Blade Knight take his mask off.

Blade Knight strode over to the window, his high chamber in Yubel's castle granting him a tremendous view of the grounds. But there was little to appealed to the eye in this realm of darkness – the soil itself was a dark grey, and it was always nighttime, the sky oppressively dark.

"Destroying the Mad King and gaining full control of this realm will be crucial to Yubel's plan…and for mine." His hand rested upon the pommel of the sheathed sword at his hip. "Yubel plans to install Jaden Yuki as king of this dimension…and all others, in time. For the time being, it is in our interest to cooperate with the demon."

"What?" She started, confused by this proclamation. "You mean to betray Yubel? Have you seen what happens to those who resist her?"

"Shh." The Knight's whisper sounded strange, due to his metallic and low voice. "Uttering such treasonous words aloud is inadvisable. Besides, since Yubel is helping me kill the lion, it wouldn't make sense for me to betray her. Yubel is utterly devoted to a single purpose, but that is not how I play the game. We will watch the winds, the pieces move…and adjust accordingly. Speaking of which, I have now seen where two of the Sacred Beasts now lie."

"Who cares? The beasts are useless, better suited for ornaments than anything else." Command Knight responded flippantly.

"You're right, but Yubel seems to find value in them for some reason. Raviel is in the hands of some rogue by the name of Hank Ishtar, who used the beast's power to rebel against his own house. I understand that he served the tomb keepers for his entire life." Blade Knight said with some unknown insinuation in his voice.

"The Ishtars…. didn't they seal away the old gods ten years ago?" Command Knight asked, catching on quickly.

"Yes, along with the Millennium Items. And as we saw with the Sacred Beasts, seals can be broken. And who would know more about those particular seals than an Ishtar, especially one who despises the rest of his house? Think about it, my friend. The only duelist in history to ever wield all three of the old gods was Atem the Undefeated." Blade Knight stared out of the window, and although his face could not be seen, one had to wonder if there was a gleam of ambition in his eyes.

"And if we were to learn how to unseal the old gods…then what the hell would we need the Sacred Beasts for?" Command Knight smirked.

"Yes, what for indeed? Once we have the old gods, no one will be able to beat us. Then, the lion will have no defense against my wrath." Blade Knight snarled.

"What has this boy done to merit your wrath anyways?" Command reclined against the wall, asking the question casually.

Blade Knight tensed. "I will tell you after he is dead, not before. Speaking of which, without Kaiba watching over him, the lion will be relatively defenseless. Now is the time to strike, while he is unsuspecting. And if Misawa happened to be caught in the crossfire…" Blade Knight left the thought hanging, but his ruthless intent was all too clear.

"Are you up for the task, my friend?" He asked, and she nodded at once. "I can't thank you enough. I will handle Hank and find the old gods. It is time to take back that which once was lost!"

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **Like I said, it has been harder for me to write lately, lot of crazy stuff happening IRL, but I'm not trying to make excuses.**

 **Romance is difficult to write, and so I am certain that someone will be unhappy with my portrayal of Jamie and Alexis here, but I was resigned to that from the moment I started this story, so yeah. Whether you liked it or not, as long as it was interesting to you that's good enough for me.**

 **By the way, the whole "Vagabond" thing was a bit of a reference to Duel Links, sort of my in-universe explanation for it. Now that 5ds world is out in Duel Links, I've been thinking about the alternate timeline version of myself (Yung Mage? Yung Cleric?) who decided to write a 5Ds self-insert where the main character (probably an ersatz spelling of an ASOIAF character's name, like Robb York) uses F.A monsters. I wonder how that story would have gone. Anyways, catch ya on the flippity-flip, and thank you for your continued support.**


	33. Career (Overlay) Networking

Chapter 33: Career (Overlay) Networking Events

Songs:

 _Saint Pepsi – Enjoy Yourself_

 _A$AP Rocky ft. Skrillex – Wild For the Night_

 _Deadmau5 – Raise Your Weapon (Madeon Remix)_

 _Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll (A-Trak Remix)_

"Lancaster, the third floor men's toilets are clogged again."

"Lancaster, could you change the channel to Spongebob? I would, but the remote is all the way over there!"

"Lancaster, I need the conference room vacuumed in like ten minutes, it still smells a bit weird in there from the time Seto had a private interview with that reporter."

"Lancaster, the coffee machine is empty again!"

Same shit, different day. I suppose it was too much to hope that Mokuba would be that different from his brother. It was probably difficult for him not to power trip when sitting in the big boy chair. All in all though, he wasn't so bad to work for when you look past the childish petulance. Mokuba was a good deal friendlier than Seto, at any rate.

It was Friday afternoon, and I had just finished up with the last list of tasks for the day. Roland wasn't here today, so I received the list from some other guy I never bothered to learn the name of. One such task involved working with Bastion in the mechanics bay, as I was taking inventory of raw materials. The Ra Yellow duelist was assigned to help me, which was mainly because he had nothing left to do on his end. It was good to catch up with Bastion a bit, as we both knew the task was time-filler to round off our mandatory hours for the week. Even KaibaCorp had some slow periods, and this hot summer day was one such time. I didn't really see Bastion too much outside of work, as he was more of an introvert by nature. Still, I could tell that he was getting a lot of value from his work. I wasn't sure I could say the same, outside of the money.

Strangely, Mokuba asked for both Bastion and I to come by the office before leaving for the day. The white leather chair always looked too large for him, I thought as we stepped inside the increasingly familiar office.

"Boys," he began, despite the fact that he was only three years older than us, "today is a very special day."

Hmm. That statement usually meant something either really good or really bad. I eyed the spot on the floor where I knew the trap door was, taking care not to accidentally step on or near it.

"Special in what way, sir?" Bastion dared ask.

Mokuba interlocked his fingers and gave us both a cool gaze in what was meant to be an imitation of his brother. It is definitely weird having to think of the man as "Seto", since I'm so used to referring to him as simply "Kaiba". A tense moment of silence passed before Mokuba smiled boyishly.

"Why, it's Roland's 50th birthday, of course! And on a Friday no less! And that means we're all getting blitzed tonight!" He said crudely.

Okay, I did not expect that. "Oh…cool." I said dumbly.

"Yeah, I know right?! We're throwing a massive party at the penthouse! Seto gave me the green light, and we got supermodels from every country on the damn planet coming through! Just think of this as part of your internship experience." Mokuba leaned back smugly. "Roland will be swinging through later on, he took the day off to spend time with his kids. But that doesn't mean we can't get started early." He said with a wolfish grin.

I gotta admit, I was curious to see how the Kaibas partied. Considering the stupid amount of money they have, this little birthday party might end up being more like Great Gatsby on cocaine if intuition served.

"Hey, wait a minute, isn't Roland married with kids? Is his wife cool with this sort of thing?" It was a lame question, but it just kinda popped into my head.

"Don't worry about it." Mokuba said dismissively. "So, are you in, or out?"

"Sir, we are only sixteen years old, it would be dreadfully illegal for us to drink alcohol of any kind, not to mention the other kinds of illicit affairs that would surely be happening at a party of this magnitude!" Bastion complained. I resisted the urge to laugh. At least he tried, you have to hand it to him.

"I'm just going to pretend you didn't say that, and ask again. Are you in, or out?" Mokuba powered through Bastion's excuses.

"Next question, sir." I was rather excited about this prospect now. Bastion looked at me incredulously, while Mokuba smiled.

"Excellent. Well, Misawa?" The young CEO turned to Bastion, who had his arms crossed tightly and a disapproving expression on his face. Eventually though, he relented.

"Very well. I'll attend this party, but I will not be drinking or doing anything against the law."

"Hey, that's the spirit! I'll send you guys emails with directions and all that. Now then, you're free to go home. I'd suggest resting up, because this is gonna be a wild night." Mokuba said deviously. Seems as though his propensity for troublemaking hasn't dimmed with age. If anything, it's gotten stronger.

XxXxXxXXxxxXxXXxXxXXxxxxXXX

At seven o'clock, Bastion and I rolled up to the Penthouse, one of the nicest hotels in Domino City. From the looks of the security guards and reservation signs, it looks like Mokuba rented out the entire building for the evening. Why am I not surprised?

I drove up to the parking lot before being stopped by a man wearing the distinctive light blue of a KaibaCorp employee. He was bald, burly, and wore sunglasses – the stereotypical build of a security worker in all respects.

"Sorry boys, this hotel is rented out completely for the evening. I apologize for any inconvenience." He said brusquely.

"It's no inconvenience at all." I said as Bastion and I procured our identification. "Mister Mokuba invited us. We're the secretarial and mechanical interns."

He went over to the small desk he must have set up earlier and pored over the list, probably being extra careful due to our age. "I see. You're good to go, and if you don't mind me saying so, I'm a bit jealous. Enjoy yourselves, but not too much."

"We will, thank you." With that, we parked and went in. I put on a navy blue button down short sleeved shirt with khaki pants and Sperrys for the evening, while Bastion was wearing all black everything – shirt, pants, tie, shoes.

"You're awfully quiet. What's up?" I asked as we walked in.

"I just have a bad feeling about this for some reason." He said sourly. It was an odd thing for him to say in particular. Bastion was hardly one to trust instinct or intuition.

"Just remember, you don't have to drink or anything. I'm sure mister Mokuba will be glad you decided to come." I didn't want to worry about any potential dangers tonight. It would be nice to get out of my head for a while.

Bastion did not look assuaged. "Right." He said noncommittally. Silently, we moved through the lobby.

Bass reverberated from the walls as we took the elevator up to the top floor, and a smile grew on my face unbidden.

What I expected could not have possibly matched up with the reality of Mokuba's party. Lights and color were everywhere, and the music was so loud I couldn't hear myself think. Nearly 150 people had to be in the large chamber, an enormous picture window giving a picturesque view of Domino City. The dance floor occupied most of the space, though it was too early for most to start dancing. There were tables and chairs on the outskirts of the room, bottles upon bottles of liquor on each of them.

I saw Roland surrounded by a crowd of guests, a woman of breathtaking beauty on his arm who I assumed to be his wife. I decided to approach him and offer the expected tidings, Bastion following a step behind.

"Mister Roland, Bastion and I would like to wish you a happy birthday and a glorious evening." I said, well, more like yelled formally upon getting his attention.

"I am glad Mister Mokuba extended invitations to you both. You two have been great helps in your respective teams. Allow me to introduce you to my wife, Isabella. Isabella, this is Jamie Lancaster, mister Kaiba's personal intern, and Bastion Misawa, intern in Research and Development." Roland said with equal decorum. Isabella was curvaceous and had alluring dark eyes that almost matched her straight black hair. There were beautiful women everywhere you looked at this party, but the sheer intelligence this woman radiated set her apart almost immediately.

"A pleasure." I said with a tilt of my head, Bastion doing the same. She said nothing, only smiling in an inscrutable way.

"My dear," Roland said unctuously, "I'd like to have a word with these two for a moment. I'll join you for a dance soon."

Something about the way he said that almost seemed rehearsed, as if this was all part of some script. She left silently, not seeming at all annoyed at being dismissed in such a way. Roland started walking, and we followed more out of habit than anything.

"Again, I'm glad you two were invited. It has been some time since we have seen interns with your potential. Between you and me, if you keep this level of performance up, Mister Kaiba may have little choice but to consider full-time offers for you both."

That brought a genuine smile to Bastion's face, at last. I smiled as well, though mine was surely more false than his. I still wasn't sure that working for Kaiba was what I wanted. "I only hope that we can continue to meet mister Kaiba's expectations. Speaking of which, has he sent any word regarding his travels to Norway?"

"Not since this morning. But I have no doubt that mister Kaiba can handle himself." We walked out onto the balcony, the air starting to cool as the sun went down. The sky was a pleasant blend of orange, blue, and light purple.

Mokuba was sitting on a small table, entertaining two college-aged girls with a bottle of New Amsterdam and some shot glasses. He wore a white shirt buttoned down to his navel with khaki shorts, and his sunglasses were askew.

"So Naomi, have you ever been a jetski before?" He slurred.

"No, but I'd sure like to, it looks incredible!" A cute, black-haired girl giggled back.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah for sure." Mokuba babbled before taking notice of us. "Boyyyyyyyyssssssssss, what the fuck is up!?" He sloppily yelled even though it was a lot quieter outside.

"Good evening, sir." I said with a grin while Bastion looked uncomfortable. "Is there something you wished to discuss with us?"

"Yeah, there's one thing. Come on, have a seat!" Out of nowhere, he pulled up two extra chairs and thrust shot glasses into our hands, filled with clear vodka.

Bastion gulped before muttering to himself, "Alright, just one drink then…"

XxXxXxXXxxXXxXXxXXXxx

(?)

Standing atop a skyscraper across the street from the Penthouse, three duel monster spirits stood, silent and waiting. In the center was Blade Knight, his armor glinting in the cream-orange sunset. To his right was Command Knight, her helm removed and her blond hair harshly flapping in the wind. To his left was an avian spirit, dark wings extended to their full breadth. He was bird and man in equal measure, a mane of black hair and red plumage adorning his slim frame.

"So….are you sure you're not Harpie's brother?" Command Knight asked dully, mostly to relieve the silence.

"No. I go by Birdman, or the Sky Scout in some circles." The winged beast said in clipped tone.

"Oh. Weird, a lot of people I know call you Harpie's brother." She said with a light chuckle.

"Which harpie are they referring to? There are many, after all. But it matters little, because I have no siblings that I am aware of." Birdman replied testily.

"My bad." Command Knight held her hands up in surrender. "Thanks for agreeing to come with us, by the way. It'll be good to snatch up two prey in one swoop, an analogy I'm sure you're familiar with." She gestured to his talons.

"There is no need for thanks…" Birdman seemed confused. "This was a direct order from Yubel, was it not?"

"Of course it was." Blade Knight said soothingly, or at least as soothingly as he could. "She will be most pleased to see both the lion and Misawa's heads. I know she has special places for them atop the ramparts."

"It's a notion most pleasing to you as well, or so I have heard. Tell me, what has Jamie Lancaster done to merit such vitriol?" Birdman asked astutely. Command Knight suddenly tensed, her hand resting on her sword's pommel as her blue eyes flickered back and forth between the two spirits. "This is being done on Yubel's orders, was it not?" He repeated.

"The sheer amount of duel energy, as well as the dark aura that emanates from his very form, renders him a threat to Jaden Yuki's kingship, as Yubel is so fond of reminding us." Blade Knight spoke unctuously, the words so obviously disingenuous it was almost insulting. Yubel could hardly go five minutes without launching into some psychotic rant about how "they would all pay for this" and "Jaden would belong to me, me, me". He found it exceedingly tiresome, though in truth his focus could be equally single-minded when he wanted to be.

"Would it not be wise to strike now, and get this over with?" Command Knight asked, her foot tapping impatiently.

"No need." Blade Knight raised a hand. "Not until the cover of nightfall. We will wait until the fools are fat and drunk before attacking. I trust the two of you will be able to handle this while I pay a visit to our friend Hank?"

Command Knight nodded. "We can take it from here. And be careful." She moved to grasp his hand for a moment before drawing back, mindful of Birdman's presence.

"I'll be fine. I have the easy job." Suddenly, he turned around and unsheathed his blade. With a single, fierce slash, he opened up a shadowy purple hole in the air, ripping through space like a curtain.

"Fare thee well, comrades." He said with a note of genuine emotion before stepping inside the portal. "If we prevail, then everything will change for the better, I guarantee it."

XxXxXxXxXxXxxXxXxxX

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

"BASTION, BASTION, BASTION, YYYEEEEEAAAAHHH!"

Though he swore to only have the one drink earlier, two hours later Bastion Misawa was currently doing a keg stand, Mokuba holding the tap to his mouth while some randos were holding up my former roommate's legs. To his credit, Bastion was actually holding down the alcohol well considering he was a total noob at drinking. Sooner or later though, it was going to catch up with him. Of course, I can't really cast too many stones considering I was pretty shitfaced myself.

"EEYYYYYYYY!" The crowd cheered after he was finished, letting the man walk free. Bastion made his way over to me and gave me a surprisingly strong clap on the back.

"Good friends, I find myself overcome by these potations, and fear that I must retire for the nonce, lest I vomit herein. Before my departure, I would be remiss if I did not extend heartfelt thanks to the esteemed sir Mokuba, as well as another round of congratulations to sir Roland!" Even while he was drunk, Bastion was still quite formal and polite. Hell, I think his vocabulary might have actually improved under the influence.

"ANOTHER ROUND!" The crowd cheered, and I think that was the only part of the speech that mattered to them, in all honesty. Bastion grinned in a manner most unlike him, genial and simple.

"My good friend and esteemed colleague, sir Jamie, I find myself quite jolly this eve. How dost thou own constitution fare?" Forget merely advanced vocabulary, he's gone all the way to purple prose! I knew that it was time for him to get home. Tomorrow morning was going to suck for him, big time.

Upon voicing my concerns, Bastion let out a hearty belch. "No need for worry, gentle companion. My sweet summer flower Jasmine has agreed to drive me home, which is most fortunate because I believe I have truly taken leave of all five of my senses this time."

He's even more long-winded drunk than he is sober. Though I had to admit describing Jasmine as a sweet summer flower was as hilarious as it was ironic. "Hey, that's probably a good call, chief." I slur.

"Forsooth. An enjoyable evening to you, Jamie. May you find whatever pleasures you seek. Anon!" With that, Bastion stumbled into the elevator, slumping against the handrail as the door closed.

After I finished laughing, I turned back to the party. Truth be told, I didn't feel like sticking around much longer. It was already nearly one in the morning, and although the party was still going strong, I was just about worn out. I had been catching vibes from a few girls on the dance floor, but thinking of Alexis gave me pause. Besides, I tended to get caught up in some kind of trouble this time of night.

I turned to leave, only to run into Mokuba. "Getting some fresh air? I know just the spot." And so, I found myself going up the roof, when I meant to go down. The roof was large and flat, with a tremendous view of the city skyline. Neon lights of innumerable colors glittered up at me from below like gems. The cool night air felt great, especially considering how hot it was on the dance floor. For a time, we were both silent.

"I knew Misawa would start enjoying himself once he got started. Guys like that tend to put a straight-laced appearance, only to be huge party animals once they let loose." Mokuba said with a knowing chuckle. "He has a ride back?"

"Yes, his girlfriend is picking him up." I answered.

"Oh, he has a girlfriend? I never would have guessed. Shame, I would have let you guys bring a plus one, but the guess list was tight as is." Mokuba said, somewhat apologetic.

"I can imagine, sir."

"No need to call me sir, we're close enough in age. Besides, I'm only acting in my brother's role. He is the one who built this company to what it is today, I just happen to be related to him." Mokuba shrugged.

"I can tell you respect him a lot." I already knew that, but I wasn't supposed to know. I got the feeling Mokuba might be one of the only people in the world who truly respected Seto. I respected Seto's power and some aspects of his mindset, but as a fellow human being?

"I do. Seto appears to be a harsh and cruel man to many, but he's no harsher than he's had to be. Ever since our days in the orphanage, he has protected me from harm, even from our own stepfather later on. Every time Seto tried to be gentle and kind, it came at a terrible cost, while cold and ruthless acts paid dividends beyond imagination. Honor never meant shit to our stepfather, and honor without reciprocity is suicidal. All we had was our pride, and some days even that couldn't be taken for granted." Mokuba was clearly a bit tipsy as well, a ruminating look on his face. I doubt he would be so open with me had he not been.

"Well, look at you now." I added lamely, trying to boost his spirits.

"Yeah…things have been great, especially lately. I just hope Seto doesn't get himself into any trouble on his trip…"

"I'd worry more about yourself." The flapping of wings, along with the snide words, were the only warning we got of the stranger's arrival. It was a birdman, black wings blending in with the sky as flashes of red mockingly gleamed from exposure to the city lights.

"Oh, for fuck's sake." I mutter before burping. It was getting harder and harder to surprise me these days. The intoxication might have made this easier to accept as well. "This ain't good..."

"Woah, I know for a fact I didn't put any cosplayers on the list, and I definitely didn't invite any furries! Did Roland invite this guy?" Mokuba sputtered.

"He's no cosplayer…" I growl. "He's Harpie's Brother."

The winged warrior began to laugh before the end of my sentence registered. "Wait, what? No, I'm not Harpie's Brother, my name is Birdman!" He squawked indignantly.

"Wait, really?" I knew the card as Harpie's Brother. Was Birdman the Japanese name or something? "My bad, bro. Anyways, what's going on? Please for the love of Ra tell me you're not here to kill me or anything like that."

"Bad news, chief! That's the game plan!" Birdman cackled before activating his duel disk. "You are the lion, are you not?"

"Huh?" I was known as the Lion of Obelisk amongst my peers at Duel Academy for reasons I still have yet to fully grasp, but how would this duel spirit know that? Wait a minute, Yubel called me the same thing, during the battle against Kagemaru!

"So, you are on Yubel's orders, then." I assumed, paying no mind to Mokuba's presence, even as the acting CEO looked increasingly befuddled.

He declined to answer directly. "I am here on orders, that much is true. Whose orders is not your concern."

"You know, Yubel tried to kill me personally almost a month ago. Sending lackeys at this point is just rude. I thought our relationship progressed beyond that." I said with faux affability.

Birdman laughed. "I think Yubel will be quite pleased should I complete my mission…whatever meager feats you hold under your belt mean nothing. Because I have discovered the same power as you!"

Oh, I think I know what he means by that, and it's not good. But I don't have my cards! God damn it, am I supposed to carry them everywhere I go? This was not the time for this, I could barely even think straight right now.

"Mister Mokuba, I don't suppose you would have a deck of cards on you right now? Looks like this guy is spoiling for a duel." I chanced.

"Nah, that's not really something I just carry around…." Mokuba murmured, still not really grasping the situation and the conflict at play. "If only I had my dragon deck with me…I could wipe the floor with this guy!"

"What? The so-called great duelists of the human realm caught without cards, their foremost weapon? What use is a warrior without his weapons? Such an unfortunate mistake. If you duel, then at least your duel energy can be harvested for Master Yubel's ultimate purpose. But if you lack the ability to fight, then I will simply tear you limb from limb and be done with this matter!" As I might have expected, this duel spirit was yet another violent, mad cog in Yubel's great machine.

The statement was unpleasant generally, but it was particularly unpleasant because it served as a reminder that the only reason I hadn't died several times over was because I was good at playing a game. That was how I was able to fight these life or death battles without the deep-seated fear of nonexistence causing me to piss myself. If I just thought of it as a game, the consequences didn't seem as real, the proximity to death not so close.

 _"I must fight, somehow…"_ Thinking hard, I decided to try one last thing, a trick more suited to Jaden than me.

 _"Sonata?"_ I thought as hard as I could, trying to reach my duel spirit through force of will. It was a cheesy, lame trick that fit a shonen protagonist well. So let's try it! " _Wherever you are, I really need your help. Please, I need weapons with which to fight this evil."_

Pregnant moments passed – were my prayers falling on deaf ears?

XxXxxXxxXxXxxXXXxXXxXXx

(Jasmine POV) (Huh?)

"C'mon, big guy. Let's get you back home." Jasmine, the perpetually beleaguered girlfriend of Bastion Misawa, grumbled. She was helping her boyfriend to her car, supporting him on one shoulder as he hobbled along.

"Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief!" Bastion hiccuped. Jasmine rolled her eyes. She vaguely remembered a similar line from something they had to read in literature class, but the exact source escaped her, probably because she spent nearly every moment of that class surfing social media websites on her phone. Still, she did not expect that Bastion would become so sesquipedalian upon inebriation. Wait, did she really just use those words? Maybe she was spending too much time around Bastion after all.

"We're almost there, Bastion. I swear to the old gods and the new, if you vomit in my car you'll cleaning it up with a damn toothbrush." She sniffed.

"She speaks! O, speak again, bright angel!" Bastion said with a childish sigh. Well, maybe his little habit wasn't so bad – Jasmine's ears certainly enjoyed hearing some honeyed words from time to time. It was certainly a marked change from the crude remarks most of the boys at school made at parties.

"Such a flatterer." She muttered.

"My lady, I am in your debt for a thousand moons for this kindness. Now then, whither is thine carriage?" Bastion asked as they finally got to the parking lot. This journey had taken twenty fucking minutes thus far, usually because Bastion would stop to smell a flower or make extensive conversation with the valet, who was sneakily filming on his phone the whole time.

"It should be right here-" Jasmine found her dad's beat-up Camry, only to find an unfamiliar figure leaning against the hood.

It was a blonde woman in dusky red armor, wearing the trappings of a knight. A sword was sheathed at her side, but the most shocking piece of her outfit was the duel disk affixed to her arm. It was unlike any model of duel disk that Jasmine had ever seen. It was dark purple, almost puce in color, with a strangely fleshy texture to it. It looked almost…organic, and utterly unsettling.

"Umm, excuse me, that's my car." Jasmine said crisply, her patience even shorter than usual.

"Oh, my bad." The woman sounded contrite, moving to get out of the way. "Hey, wait a minute. Hate to be rude, but is that drunk guy hanging off your shoulder Bastion Misawa by any chance?" She hastily added, craning to get a better look at the intern.

Jasmine narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Who's asking?"

"Tis true, my lady knight. My name is Bastion Misawa, what's yours?" Sadly, Bastion had no interest in being obtuse.

"Ah, how very convenient. I feared I would have to wait quite a while until you emerged from that party. Bastion, I realize you aren't your right mind at the moment, but I'm afraid I have a bit of an ultimatum to administer." The armor-clad woman said apologetically.

"What the hell? Speak your name at once!" Jasmine demanded.

"Oh, that. You see, I only go by Command Knight. A bit of a droll name, I know, but such is the life of a duel spirit." The knight held a rueful smile.

"A duel spirit!?" Bastion suddenly jumped to attention, though he stumbled somewhat without Jasmine's support. "Have you any relations to the Dark Scorpions? Those brigands spoke of returning to the human realm one day to mete out vengeance on my person!" Bastion pointed a finger accusingly.

Command Knight laughed. "Sorry, haven't heard of them. Does he always talk like this?" She chuckled at Jasmine, who stonily refused to answer her question. "Anyways, my terms are these: On behalf of Master Yubel, I must ask that you submit your dueling decks at once and forever swear to give up the game. I also ask that you direct us towards Jaden Yuki, High Lord of Darkness and the Supreme King of the twelve dimensions. "

Jasmine's eyes were wide. Jaden Yuki, High Lord of Darkness and the supreme king of the twelve dimensions? What kind of drugs was this crazy woman on? The Jaden Yuki she knew was barely fit to run a lemonade stand, much less the entire universe. Besides, he would never give himself a pretentious, obviously evil title like "Lord of Darkness". As she recalled, he much preferred heroes to villains.

Still, the situation was perilous. Strange people were searching for Jaden, and that was something to take seriously, though she did not consider the Slifer a friend. "We're not telling you where anyone is. Now leave us alone before we call the police."

Command Knight merely looked amused before looking to Bastion. "Well? Does she speak for you, Misawa?"

"In this instance, my fair lady and I are in agreement. I shall not give up Duel Monsters this day, nor will I tell you were Jaden Yuki is." Bastion said with what resolve he could muster.

Just like that, the amused expression on the knight's face evaporated, replaced with a dead-eyed stare. "Unfortunate. I did not wish to resort to bloodshed, but I must obey my orders. Your duel energy will be a great boon to Yubel's cause, Misawa!" She activated her duel disk and made her challenge clear.

 _"Who is Yubel?"_ Jasmine's bafflement was growing by the moment. _"And why does this person want to play a game of Duel Monsters at one in the morning?"_

She wanted to think this a joke, but when she looked at Bastion, the worry and fear on his face was very real. "But I cannot duel now…oh, I knew I should not have allowed myself to imbibe!" He said with regret.

"And now you refuse to fight? You are beginning to anger me, Misawa! I could slay you here and now and leave before the light fully left your eyes. If you battle me, at least your duel energy can be put to good use! So what will it be?" The warrior issued yet another ultimatum.

Jasmine grit her teeth. She had no way of knowing how skilled Command Knight was, but she doubted Bastion could beat a child as he was now. Lancaster was still at the party…but he was probably just as drunk as Bastion! Besides, Jasmine was loath to rely on his help, finding him arrogant and not nearly as funny as he thought he was.

 _"I won't stand on the sidelines this time! This time, it's my turn to save you, Bastion!"_ She resolved, thinking of when he rescue her from Wheeler.

"Jasmine, you have to get out of here! I've faced duel spirits before, and I know how dangerous they can be! Flee, now!" Bastion said bravely, attempting to stand between Jasmine and their assailant.

"No. Not this time." She said with equal courage. "I won't let you die for my sake. I'm a duelist too, and I can face this challenge!" Spending time around Bastion these past months caused Jasmine to take her dueling much more seriously. He had been supportive of her on every count, and in turn that made her want to be truly worthy of the Obelisk Blue title she had been given solely because of her gender.

"No, it's fine, Bastion." She said with inexplicable confidence. "I have a duel disk in my car." She only hoped that there were some cards there as well. If not, this would be rather awkward.

"Well, I suppose I'll take what I can get. But be warned, if you fail here, both your lives are forfeit. Is that clear?!" Command Knight barked.

Jasmine rifled around her backseat, quickly finding her academy model disk. However, there were no cards in it. "Fuck! This is really bad!"

She desperately searched around her car, although she knew for certain that she didn't have a deck of cards to play with. Bastion tapped her on the shoulder. Turning around, she saw him began to undo the buttons to his blazer.

"Bastion, now is really not the time!" She hissed.

"Oh, I see. Then you'll have no interest in using one of my six decks for this battle, then?" Bastion said with a wry smile, revealing his custom made vest that held six deck slots, each being full.

Jasmine couldn't help herself and started chuckling. "Bastion, did you really bring six dueling decks to a party!? I still can't believe you even wear that vest at all, much less the way you wear it everywhere."

"Constant vigilance – a duelist is always prepared. This particular build should suit you well. We worked on it together." He unfastened one of the deck slots and gave her a 40 card deck, her one and only fighting chance.

"Ok, let's go!" Jasmine quickly looked through the deck before placing it inside the duel disk. "I'm surprised you waited so patiently for us to get ready." She addressed Command Knight, activating her duel disk as she did so.

"To slay two defenseless people is mere slaughter. To slay two people with the ability to fight is simply called battle. I'm a stickler for semantics like that." Command Knight responded with a flourish.

Jasmine gulped. Something told her this wouldn't be anything like a practical exam.

XxXxXxXxXxXxxXxXxxX

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

As the moments went on, my silent prayers continued to go unanswered. Sonata, can you hear me?! _"Damn it, I can't go out like this!"_

"Is there a problem here?" The aid came not from my duel spirit, but from none other than the man of the hour himself, Roland, who evidently decided to get some fresh air as well. "I thought I gave the guards specific orders not to let male cosplayers inside.

"Glad you're here, Roland. Uh, don't worry, the situation is currently being…handled. Say, you wouldn't happen to have a deck of duel monster cards on you by any chance?" Mokuba asked awkwardly. Birdman scoffed, but otherwise waited patiently.

"Not exactly, but I do have a trade binder full of fairly rare cards. I was showing it to some collectors earlier." Roland quickly procured a black binder.

" _How can he see with his sunglasses on at night?"_ I wondered.

"Okay, dope, dope." Mokuba hurried over, quickly thumbing through the binder. "This should be enough for a deck, Lancaster. Quick, build one!"

It took me a few minutes, but I compiled a fairly effective dragon deck from the contents of the trade binder. I had no particular fondness for dragons, but it's not like I had any other options here. "You guys go break up the party, make sure the people get home safely. This guy wants me, so that's who he's going to get." I said, the incoming fight causing a rush of aggression. I was a bit drunk still, but I had no choice but to try and work through it. I hadn't had nearly as much to drink as Bastion at any rate. Ordering around Mokuba Kaiba was a foolish act, but there would be time to pay for that later.

To my surprise, Mokuba just nodded and seemed to accept my command. Roland, as always, was a step behind him. Confident that the party downstairs was handled, I turned my full attention on my foe.

"Sorry, but I don't have my Melodious deck on me right now. Hope you're not too disappointed." I said sardonically.

"The only way you could disappoint me is if you rolled over without a fight." With that, the game was afoot. I took the first turn.

"I'll start by setting a monster and one face-down." If he was playing the kind of deck I think he was playing, then I should be careful about overextending my resources.

"Draw!" Birdman declared ostentatiously. "You may have won battles against duel spirits before, but a lion has no place in the sky! I activate the field spell **Harpie's Hunting Ground**!"

In a moment, the city seemed to vanish, the both of us standing on steep buttes in a flat, harsh desert. Vultures keeled overhead, and the beating sun seemed all too real.

It was a far from unexpected move. "Are you sure you're not Harpie's Brother?"

"Listen, I have nothing to do with the Harpies! God, why does everyone think that?!" He screeched.

"Yeah right, and I'm a harem protagonist!"

"Silence! I summon **Cyber Harpie Lady (1800/1300)** in attack mode!" A pink-haired bird woman clad in dark violet armor swept down from the sky, an expectant and hungry look on her face.

I just gave Birdman a droll look, which he pretended not to notice. "She gains 200 attack and defense while the field spell is active. And furthermore, when a Harpie is summoned, I must target a spell or trap on the field and destroy it!" He gestured to my face-down.

I decided to chain. "Activate reverse card, **Needlebug Nest**. This lets me mill five cards from the top of the deck." It was a seemingly horrible card, but the graveyard was a good place to be for most cards in this deck.

No surprise he was playing Harpies. A tricky set of cards, though not unbeatable. Dragons were generally a favorable matchup, their high attack power able to muscle through such tricks. I was generally not fond of dragons – not that I hated them, but they were so commonly used that I tended to grow tired of facing them. It didn't help that nearly every archetype in the game has a dragon boss monster, even if the rest of the series has little to do with dragons. I sure didn't mind using them now though.

"Cyber Harpie Lady, strike!" The winged beast swooped upon my face-down monster, a pale terracotta salamander with bright eyes.

"You activated the effect of **Kidmodo Dragon (100/200)**! When it's sent from the field to the graveyard, I can special summon a dragon monster from my hand!" A halo of fire spun in the air above my head. "I summon **Darkflare Dragon (2400/1200)**!"

In the center of the flaming ring appeared a beast with black and orange scales, dark violets wings flapping slowly and mightily. Birdman scowled, but otherwise only said, "I set two cards and end my turn."

Even through alcohol-induced fog, I could tell he was expecting to face a different deck. This makeshift deck may prove to be a boon after all, although I also was pretty unfamiliar with how to play it optimally.

"I sure hope Bastion's alright…I better finish this fast. Draw." Considering my options, I briefly had to stop myself from swaying. "First, I'll play **Reinforcement of the Army** to add a warrior from the deck. Then, I summon **Herald of Creation (1800/600)**." A high priestess clad in holy white and gold stepped forward, holding a tall staff with a hoop-like structure on its end.

"Darkblaze Dragon, attack!" I couldn't afford to spare any more words. The dragon quickly and obediently let loose an impossibly round fireball towards the enemy.

"I can tell you're getting hasty, Lancaster! Don't count your chickens before the hatch! I activate my reverse card, **Phoenix Wing Wind Blast**. By discarding a card, I can send a card of yours to the top of the deck!"

A gale of intense winds blew the fireball out, sending my dragon flying back into the deck in the process. Now I'd draw it next turn. Fuck, that trap is annoying! Wait, there's a way out. I had a feeling he might have had that card.

"I play the spell card **Trade-In**. By discarding a level eight monster, I can draw two cards. With that, I end my turn." I snarled.

"Good to hear, because during the end phase, I activate the effect of a card in the graveyard. I discarded **Harpie Harpist (1700/600)** to activate my trap earlier. And since I did, I get to add a Winged Beast from deck to hand with 1500 or less attack points from deck to hand." As Birdman searched through his deck, I wondered how his talons didn't damage the cards. As he drew his next card, a thought seemed to occur to the avian.

"It really is a shame you don't have your Melodious cards with you, because now you have no way of combating the power I have discovered!" He boasted, as all of these minions do.

"I know what power you speak of, and it won't save you. You will die this day." I said, my voice suddenly lacking any humor. The contrast seemed to surprise Birdman – his wings stiffened.

"Why so shocked." I said dully, the question becoming a statement. "Do you think that I will lose a moment of sleep over shooting you out of the sky?" Leaving him to chew on that, I stopped talking and let him take his turn.

"You'll see! Prepare to die, Lion of Obelisk! First, I play the continuous spell **Hysteric Sign**. When this is activated, I can add Elegant Egotist from deck to hand. Then, I summon **Harpie Dancer (1200/1000)** in attack mode!" A shapely blonde monster girl flew to the field, this one appearing younger and more "innocent" than the Cyber Harpie Lady.

"Due to Harpie's Hunting Ground, I must destroy a spell or trap. Since you have none, I choose to destroy my own Hysteric Sign! And now, all the pieces are in place. With two level four monsters on the field, I can activate the overlay network!" The two harpies suddenly disintegrated into pure energy, twin spheres of soft yellow light spiraling into the air.

"Huh? Sorry, I kinda wasn't paying attention there. What's going on?"

"I exceed summon the mighty **Tornado Dragon (2100/2000)**!" The beast's form was difficult to make out – I had to strain my eyes to see it completely. It was a dragon formed entirely out of swirling grey winds, glowing scarlet eyes peering out of the cyclones.

"Oh, I see. So, you really did learn how to exceed summon. How?" I asked with placid curiosity.

"Master Yubel saw you do it the day you battled Kagemaru. It was a harnessing of duel energy the likes of which none of us have ever seen before from a human…at least in this dimension. Seeing you do it showed her how to as well, and from there…" Birdman trailed off.

"What do you mean this dimension? Is there another dimension where it is a common occurrence?" I was genuinely interested now. And that last part was worrying. How much of Yubel's forces know how to exceed summon now? And do they have any idea how to synchro or pendulum summon?

"Of course. Some say the entire dimension itself was created through the power of Exceed monsters. To see someone from this timeline discover the power is strange…but I forget, you're not from this timeline, are you?" Birdman cackled. "What other secrets do you know?"

"As if I'd tell you. And if you think having a few Exceed monsters in your deck will bring you victory, you're sadly mistaken. Having a larger set of tools does not improve the skills and expertise of their user." I said coldly.

"You dare refer to us cards as tools…you really are a bastard! Tornado Dragon, destroy his Herald of Creation!" The winds blew my priestess away – I was only just able to brace my feet enough to stay unmoved. **(Jamie 3700/Birdman 4000)**

This was a tighter spot than I originally thought. My next draw would have to let me go on the offensive. The Tornado dragon can destroy a spell or trap on the field at the cost of detaching one material, and Harpie's Hunting Ground is still on the field.

"I end my turn, and since Hysteric Sign was destroyed this turn, I can activate its graveyard effect – I get to add three Harpie monsters with different names to my hand." Not only was his field position better, but now his hand advantage far exceeded mine.

"Come on." I muttered under my breath as if I were rolling the dice at a casino, such was the nature of life or death battles now.

"Good." I breathed a sigh of relief. "I play the spell **card Return of the Dragon Lords**! This lets me special summon a level seven or eight dragon from the graveyard. And since I sent one last turn for Trade-In, I have just the idea for who to bring back!"

Golden light streamed from the sky, thin photons twisting together to form a beam of energy that shot into the ground. From the sky descended a glistening drake with metallic gold and silver scales, almost too bright too look upon. "I summon **Divine Dragon Lord Felgrand (2800/2800)**!"

D…damn it!" Birdman cursed. "I'll show you that birds are the true kings of the sky! That dragon will be returning to hell soon!"

"When this monster is summoned, I can banish a card you control. You get two guesses which one I'm going for." Wordlessly, I pointed to the Tornado Dragon. Felgrand shone even more brightly, its aura blasting apart the miniature cyclones until the air was calm once more.

"And since it was a monster, I can deal 100 points of damage to you for each of its levels, or ranks in your exceed monster's case." The aura grew brighter and hotter, causing the dark-plumed Birdman to hiss. **(Jamie 3700/Birdman 3600)**

"Then, I'll summon **Dragon Knight of Creation (1800/600)** to the field in attack mode!" A warrior clad in white-gold armor wielding a tremendous greatsword took the field, a wild mane of auburn hair trailing from his helmed head. It was a fairly useful card in terms of special effects, but right now I just needed a beatstick.

The golden knight and the dragon above attacked in sync, two natural foes working together in this one instance to secure the victory. **(Jamie 3700/Birdman 0)**

The black-winged spirit recoiled, the bright desert sky slowly fading back to the hazy city nightscape. "How is this possible? I gained the power for myself…is the overlay network truly this weak?"

I laughed cruelly. "It is you who is weak. First you brag about exceed summoning as if it was some unassailable advantage, then you decry it as useless the moment things don't go your way? Is that the way of it, spirit?" I stood over him, the moon and the city lights casting my frame into silhouette.

"Grr…Master Yubel will avenge me…and as soon as she gets her hands on you, you will die by inches!" Birdman spat in my face, the saliva hitting my cheek. The gesture stoked my rage, but I managed to keep it under control.

"Listen to me. I am not a killer. If you swear to leave Yubel's service and keep out of my affairs, then I've got not problem letting you go. Even though you would have never given me the same chance." I decided to make the offer, if only to soothe my own conscience at least.

Birdman let out a sound between laugh and choke. "No one leaves Yubel's service without paying for it in flesh and blood. You do not understand, she will hunt you to the ends of the universe and beyond. Your final destination is darkness, and waiting for you in the end is despair. And your demise will satisfy the purest of dreams…true love."

I had to give him a little credit. Usually these low level demons default to a defensive survival instinct by now, once their façade of aloof control has been stripped away. This one doubles down on spite and rage. Does he not believe me capable of ending his life? Literally dead wrong.

"So I take it you're not interested in the whole living to fight another day thing?" I heard enough. It was hard to explain, but emerging victorious in a shadow game grants the winner powers. Powers over the fate of the loser, over life and death. I had exercised it before, and I would again.

In a few moments, Harpie's Brother or whatever his name was disappeared in a cloud of gold dust.

I walked over to the edge of the rooftop and observed the city for a while before going back downstairs.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **It's only natural in anime that whenever there is a party scene of some kind, villains must follow close by. Blade Knight has his own mission, while Harpie's Brother and Command Knight are trying their luck at slaying Jamie and Bastion, though the former obviously failed while the latter got a different fight than expected.**

 **Ultimately, Harpie's Brother is not a very skilled duelist (I called him Birdman because it is the card's Japanese name and to save me the pain in the ass that writing Harpie's Brother or Sky Scout would be every time) but he believed that having the ability to XYZ summon would bring him victory. He was wrong of course, but I felt it important to show that Yubel's forces now have the ability to tap into the Overlay Network. Who knows what sort of power Yubel and the actually strong duelists have?**

 **I am working on a horror-themed Berserk/ASOIAF one-shot for Halloween at the moment, so that has diverted my attention from this story somewhat, but obviously it is passing. I hope you guys read it, but I certainly wouldn't take it personally if you didn't, it will be a darker, more tragic piece.**

 **We'll be returning to Duel Academy soon. I'm excited to write Aster Phoenix and Sartorius, I hope to put a little bit of a different spin on them. Thanks for your continued support!**


	34. Runnin' Through The Six

Chapter 34: Runnin' Through The Six

"Answer me. Who is Yubel? What does this person want?" Jasmine asked with duel disk active.

"Yubel is one, Yubel is all. Male and female, darkness and light, love and hate, dragons and the heroes that slay them. Yubel is the form of the external and the spirit of the internal. Yubel exists at the interstice of your understanding and at that which lies beyond it. Yubel is the true balance." Command Knight answered cryptically.

"That's nice, but I was looking for a more straightforward answer." Jasmine rolled her eyes.

"Twas a most stirring sentiment, thou must admit." Bastion piped up, the drunken intern currently splayed on the hood of Jasmine's car.

"Not helping, Bastion." Jasmine muttered. "Okay, maybe something more specific will help. What does Yubel want from Jaden?"

"His love, nothing more or less."

"Stop bullshitting me!" Jasmine ticked.

"I have presented the truth, but you choose to look out of only one eye. Those who see the totality of it understand. But my job is not to proselytize. It is to fight. And it is a job I rather enjoy." With that, the blonde knight took the first turn.

"I summon **Goblindbergh (1400/0)**." The spirit's first monster was a goblin dressed like an old pilot flying a bright red propeller plane. Hardly intimidating, but Jasmine had never heard of it before. Then again, she rarely paid attention in class, as Bastion would always pick up the slack for her.

"When this card is summoned, I can immediately specials summon a level four or lower monster from my hand at the cost of changing Goblindbergh to defense mode. I choose to summon **Heroic Challenger – Spartan (1600/1000)**." The next creature was a soldier garbed head to toe in golden Spartan's armor, holding a silver pike in one hand and an oblong red shield in the other.

Okay, she definitely hadn't seen that before. _"This is bad…I'm fighting for my life and I don't know what I'm up against!"_ Jasmine thought frantically.

"Now…bear witness to duel energy manifested from beyond the stars! I call upon the Overlay Network!" Command Knight raised a hand skyward, her russet cape billowing in the wind. A galaxial portal opened in the sky, streams of bright yellow photons scattering out of its maw.

"I overlay the level four Goblindbergh and Spartan to exceed summon **Heroic Champion – Gandiva (2100/1800)**!"

Out of the vortex galloped a rider in golden armor, a steed covered in futuristic russet steel plate its mount. The rider, its gender impossible to perceive, held a bow in its hand, a quiver of arrows strapped across its back.

"Wha…did I miss something in class? Bastion, what the hell is that?" Jasmine gaped in shock.

"My memory fails, fair Jasmine. I hath not seen such a summoning in all my years. Tis not fusion summoning, though it looks similar…it seems to require monsters of equal levels. And the card is black as the night sky, not purple as fusion is. This is utterly unfamiliar!" He exclaimed.

"Consider this a practical lesson, though the cost for failure is more than an academic demerit. I set a face-down and end my turn." Command Knight finished. For a fighter, Jasmine noticed that she had a sharp wit. It was bad enough to face an obviously sharp opponent with life itself at stake, but to fight creatures of unknown power…it was a tall order to ask of anybody.

"Okay…at least its attack points aren't so high. No choice but to go in guns blazing! I cast the spell **Shien's Smoke Signal** , letting me add a level three or lower Six Samurai monster from deck to hand!"

A cloud of purple haze rose into the air as Jasmine searched her deck. The smoke itself even smelt like jasmine, the vine, funnily enough. "Wait a minute, I shouldn't be able to smell anything, it's just a digital projection…" Jasmine thought with mounting apprehension. Shaking it off, she continued.

"Next, I activate the continuous spell **Gateway of the Six**!" The card was currently limited to one in this format, but Jasmine was lucky enough to open with it. She had a feeling she would need as much luck as she could get. Behind Jasmine rose an old-style gong with a glowing blue rune on its face.

"Now, since you control a monster and I don't, I can call forth **Elder of the Six Samurai (400/0)** from my hand!" A mechanical litter, containing a mysterious masked old man inside, lumbered onto the field.

"Wrong. I activate Gandiva's effect. By detaching one of its Xyz materials, I can negate the special summoning of a level four or lower monster and send it to the graveyard." Command Knight interrupted. In an instant, the caravan was set ablaze by a flaming arrow, courtesy of the robotic centaur.

"By Jove! The beast can activate a most powerful effect at the cost of getting rid of one of its materials?" Bastion quailed. Just as quickly as the fire appeared, it was artificially snuffed out, the centaur smoothly readying its bow.

Jasmine scanned the remaining cards in her hand. "Alright, I normal summon **Six Samurai – Zanji (1800/1300)**!" Her next monster was a robust warrior in russet armor, waving a glowing yellow naginata. Behind her, two sections of the Gateway lit up. "I set a face-down and end my turn."

"Draw." Command Knight drawled. _"There's no doubt that a trap lies in wait for me if I attack. But if I wait, I can negate her next summon with my Gandiva's effect. Six Samurai rely on swarming, not defense If I exhaust her options, I can take her down in one strike! Best to wait and accumulate field advantage."_

"I summon **Heroic Challenger Assault Halberd (1800/200)** in attack position." The emerging soldier was covered in indigo colored armor, with a long trident extending from its mechanical arm. "With that, I set another card and end my turn."

 _"Perfect! The bait worked!"_ Jasmine thought, careful not to show any outward signs to her adversary. She recalled a valuable lesson Bastion told her once – " _Understanding how your opponent thinks is like having a weapon specifically forged for that battle."_ It was one of the rare times he indulged in poetic device while sober.

 _"I can do this! She may be a duel spirit, but she's playing by the same rules I am."_ Jasmine thought, but her efforts to convince herself weren't working – her hands shook unthinkingly. _"But this pressure…is this what Bastion and the others have been fighting against all this time?"_

Jaden's goofy smile and Lancaster's self-amused grin appeared unbidden in her mind. _"How can they fight these life and death battles and still smile like that?"_ Buy there was no time to think on it further – it was time to move!

 _"I draw."_ This had to work. "I activate my **Reinforcement of the Army**." Quickly searching through her deck, Jasmine found the right card. She knew this deck particularly well – it was one of the first she made solely on her own, without Bastion's help. She refined and made it better with his assistance later, but the core strategy was hers alone.

"Since I have a Six Samurai on the field, I can special summon **Grandmaster of the Six Samurai (2100/800)** from my hand!" Leaping down from the gateway of the six was an old man outfitted with futuristic armor, carrying a simple guarded katana in his calloused hands.

"Hmph, not quite. I activate my trap, **Bottomless Trap Hole** , destroying and banishing your monster upon summon!" Command Knight replied quickly, a hellish portal opening beneath the old samurai's feet.

"I chain the counter trap **Musakani Magatama** , negating that effect!" Jasmine shot back. Before the Grandmaster could fall through, an ancient talisman materialized around him, sealing off the trap hole. Command Knight frowned, but otherwise said nothing. Jasmine smirked.

"With four counters on Gateway of the Six, I can activate one of its effects! By removing four counters, I can add a Six Samurai from my deck to my hand!" The lights on the large rune dimmed as she gained another card.

"Now, I'll summon **The Six Samurai – Irou (1700/1200)** in attack mode!" The next of Jasmine's warriors seemed a direct opposite to Zanji. He had long, flowing black hair and glowing purple armor that seemed of the night in the same way Zanji seemed to suit the day. Unlike Zanji's large, sweeping naginata, Irou held a slim, efficient nodachi covered with a cane-like sheath.

"I now have two more counters on my gateway. By removing two of them, I can boost a Six Samurai's attack points by 500 until the turn's end! Zanji's attack power rises to 2300!" A flaming blue aura took hold of the naginata-wielding swordsman.

"Now, my monsters will attack! Grandmaster of the Six will attack your Halberd!" he declared.

"I play my other trap, **Attack Guidance Armor** , to force your attack towards my Gandiva!" Command Knight responded, redirecting the samurai's path.

Having the same attack points, both monsters would be destroyed by the move, but Jasmine had no other choice. With twin slashes, the old man and the robotic centaur were slain.

"Zanji, attack the Assault Halberd!" With the added power from the Gateway, Zanji was able to prevail over the Heroic Champion, splitting its three-pronged blade with one swipe of the samurai's glowing pike. **(Command Knight 3500/Jasmine 4000)**

The path was cleared for Irou to move in, a swift shadow on the darkened summer street. Blood spurted from a real slash wound, causing Command Knight to fall to one knee while Jasmine's eyes widened in shock. **(Command Knight 1800/Jasmine 4000)**

"Oh, splendid! I do say, thou art struck a sound blow, sweet Jasmine!" At some point, Bastion had rolled off the hood of the car and fell into a bush. "Though I admit I can see but little through this foliage."

"Thanks, champ. Just don't strain yourself too bad. We'll get you home in a few minutes." Jasmine snarked, mainly to take her mind off of the blood seeping from her enemy's wound. A wound that she had inflicted, albeit by command rather than her own hand.

 _"Do they truly take pleasure in these battles?"_ Alexis had told her of Jamie's savage smile as he defeated the duel spirit Jinzo. And of course, everyone knew how unflappable Jaden was on the battlefield. He treated a life or death fight just the same as an academic test. Many found that attitude admirable, but Jasmine was starting to find it creepy. _"To shed blood is nothing to smile about…"_

"Your boyfriend is right. That was a pretty good attack." Command Knight stood up, the slice across her torso scabbing over with unusual speed. "I can tell that deck is powerful, constructed meticulously. But are you truly a fighter, like the others? I have my doubts."

The blonde warrior drew her next card. "Now, another round. I'll start by playing **The Warrior Returning Alive** , allowing me to add Assault Halberd from my graveyard to my hand. And since you have monsters on the field and I do not, I can special summon it from my hand." The indigo-armored warrior returned to the field, looking none the worse for wear from his brief stint in the graveyard.

"Next, I'll summon **Heroic Challenger – Swordshield (0/2000)** to the field." It was clear that this knight was defensively oriented, it's dark teal armor rounded and sturdy, and two shields with blades on each end its weapons. But it wasn't to be used for attack or defense in this instance.

"With two level four monsters on the field, I can build the overlay network once more. This blade will carve my path to victory, and my conviction will prevail! Xyz summon, **Heroic Champion – Excalibur (2000/2000)**!"

From a dark crimson portal in the air arrived a hulking warrior in similarly colored armor, wielding a sword nearly as long as Jasmine was tall. "What will its effect be?" Jasmine would never have thought this tactically before meeting Bastion. "Zanji isn't strong enough to beat it anymore…I'm just gonna have to take this attack!"

"I'll detach both of my monster's materials to use its effect! Now, its power is doubled until the end of your next turn, raising it to 4000!" The knight grew larger and larger until it towered completely over the scene. If onlookers weren't noticing the duel before, they had to be aware of it now.

"Now, face true steel!" The engorged champion cleaved Irou into tiny pieces with its sword, like a human cutting a piece of onion. Jasmine's eyes went white with pain as she felt the force of the blow. Her feet left the ground and she tumbled into a roadside ditch. Luckily, it was dry, and the grass made the landing less painful than concrete would have. **(Command Knight 1800/Jasmine 1700)**

Jasmine felt like she would never catch her breath, and her head was killing her. Spots danced in front of her eyes, and as they cleared she perceived that she had flown over fifty meters from her car.

"Jasmine, how in the name of Neptune did you end up over there?" Bastion called out from the bush. Sadly, she could not tell him to shut up because her breath had still not returned.

"Do you need a moment? I knew you hadn't truly fought in a shadow game before." Command Knight jeered. Jasmine also couldn't respond to that, as her breath had not returned yet still.

Slowly, Jasmine walked back over to the battlefield. "Alright, I think I'm good now." She wheezed.

"Good, cause I ended my turn like two minutes ago." The spirit snarked snappishly.

"Cool." Jasmine drew her next card. _"Man, I'm lucky Gateway of the Six is such a broken card."_ She thought. _"Let's see…I still have Zanji on the field, but no way to activate his effect without another Samurai on board. I'd lose the rest of my life points if I attacked, besides. Best play defense for now."_

It had to have been the adrenaline. How else could she think clearly as her bones still rattled from the force of that last strike? Dueling like this was totally unlike how class made it seem – for once in her life, Jasmine wished she was back in the classroom. She never imagined that she would be faced with a real fight, and even as this bout wore on, she couldn't believe it still.

"I set a monster and end my turn." Jasmine was really hoping that Command Knight wouldn't be able to overpower her defense next turn. One more strike was all that was needed on both sides. Excalibur's attack points went back down to 2000, and since it no longer had materials, it couldn't use its attack-boosting effect again.

"I will not lose here. I have seen many battlefields before, and I will say many more – more than this! I draw! First, I'll set a card. Then, Heroic Champion Excalibur, destroy the set monster!" A silver flash, and Jasmine's set monster was cleaved apart. It was **Shien's Footsoldier (700/300)** , an ape-like peon of the Six Samurai's Shogun.

"Perfect!" Jasmine clenched a fist. "When Shien's Footsoldier is destroyed, I can special summon a level three or lower Six Samurai from my deck! I call upon **Six Samurai – Yaichi (1300/800)**. The next of the increasingly numerous samurai was a bowman clothed in glowing yellow armor, the insignia of the gateway on the back of his helm.

Jasmine smirked – everything was starting to come together. Command Knight seemed to realize this as well. _"Have I underestimated this girl?"_ The spirit thought. _"I'll have to set my other face-down."_ Doing so, now Jasmine had two hidden traps to contend with, as well as a powerful monster. _"My position should be relatively safe for now…I just need to figure out how to regain control!"_

As Command Knight panicked, Jasmine found that the adrenaline helped tremendously in letting her hit her stride. "My draw." The necessary pieces to the strategy were in place.

"The strength of the Six Samurai is not that they rely on a single, strong blade, but a storm of swords that overwhelm a complacent enemy in one strike. I could never have built this deck alone, and dueling you alone would have surely resulted in my defeat. But my friends have helped me become strong, and I won't sit on the sidelines any more! I refuse to surrender!" Jasmine's voice grew stronger as she spoke more, a triumphant crescendo. Where had the words come from? She had never spoken like this in her entire life.

Jasmine imagined herself climbing a set of stairs frantically, trying to catch up since she chose to lag behind the other climbers. Alexis, Jaden, and Lancaster were climbing as well, but they were so far ahead of her that she could barely make out their forms. _"So far above…"_ She despaired. Jasmine just didn't have the drive they had…

Then, somehow, she caught a glimpse of Lancaster smirking near the top of the staircase. He wasn't looking at her, only upwards, but she could still see it on the corner of his face.

" _Arrogant…always making it look easy. Mark my words, I will catch up to you, and I'll prove that I belong in Obelisk Blue!"_ They may have both been Obelisk Blues, but seeing Lancaster's meteoric rise through the Duel Academy ranks made it all too clear that he and Jasmine were in different leagues of power. She never did anything to earn the blue jacket. That realization lit a fire within her, and now Jasmine could not be content as just one of Alexis' followers.

"With two Six Samurai on the field, I can special summon **Great Shogun Shien (2500/1400)** from my hand in attack mode!" The swarming capabilities of the Six Samurai were seen even in their boss monster, an imposing warlord clad in maroon armor, a black cape billowing behind him. The katana in his hands practically glowed with heat, shimmering in the air.

"Next, I'll switch Zanji to attack mode. Then, I'll use Yaichi's effect! Since there is another Six Samurai on the field, I can destroy one of your set cards!" Yaichi notched an arrow, and at Jasmine's direction, the projectile landed on Command Knight's face-down Mirror Force.

There was still another face-down, but Jasmine decided to attack anyways, trusting her instincts. "Great Shogun Shien, attack the Excalibur!"

"Not so fast!" Command Knight exclaimed. "I play my other face-down, **Widespread Ruin**! This lets me destroy the monster with the highest attack point value on your field, which is Shien! Take this!"

An incoming wall of flame rapidly approached Jasmine's warlord, threatening to overtake him.

"Jasmine, use Yaichi!" Bastion chimed in.

"Right!" She affirmed. "The Six Samurai's bond allows each to sacrifice himself for the other, for the mission. By destroying Yaichi, I can keep Shien on the field." The bowman nodded solemnly before leaping in front of his general, the fire immolating him instantly.

"And this allows me to continue my attack!" As the smoke cleared, Command Knight was utterly shocked. "How could this silly girl have such conviction?"

With a mighty upward slash, Shien bisected Heroic Champion Excalibur. **(Command Knight 1300/Jasmine 1700)**

The field was finally clear for one final assault. "Zanji, attack directly!" Jasmine's voice was suddenly hoarse, as the stresss caught up with her. Nontheless, her warrior swung his pike and ended the deadly game. **(Command Knight 0/Jasmine 1700)**

The knight collapsed in exhaustion and defeat. "I really am pathetic…or maybe it is you who are strong. Humans really will struggle tremendously if placed in a corner…Yubel will have to take note of that." Command Knight didn't even sound upset that she lost, just tired.

"We'll beat Yubel, just like we beat you! Don't underestimate humanity!" Jasmine roared, a fierce flame lit inside her heart in the wake of victory.

Command Knight let out a pained chuckle. "How could you ever hope to know the true nature of the threat you face when you have never walked in the dark places of the universe? You humans are so arrogant, believing yourself capable of mastering duel spirits, when it is us who have traveled to the outer limits, us who have carved a place in the universe through naught but the power of our own wills! You trap us in these shells called cards, and play at war like children. And you think you can defeat Yubel? Absolutely pathetic. It will take more than struggling to do that."

Jasmine could never have mustered a proper response to that, even if she had all the time in the world. Meanwhile, Bastion finally managed to extricate himself from the bush in front of Jasmine's car, perhaps sobering a little. He absorbed the words, let them wash over him and take root within.

"But it is not Yubel whom I truly serve, in my heart. I have died in service to a noble dream, and that dream is Blade Knight's. I only hope that a piece of me lives in his heart…the lion will pay for his crimes."

"What? Who is the lion?" Bastion questioned, brushing off a few stray leaves from his suit jacket.

Command Knight's body was slowly disappearing into light, becoming pure duel energy. "Who indeed? That is the question."

XxXxXxxXXxXXxxxXXXX

 **(The Vagabond POV)**

The Vagabond was living minute to minute, adjusting plans by the moment, relying more on instinct than he ever had before. These were not skills that the clan cultivated. His work as a tomb keeper had progressed from day labor up to administrative affairs. It was a ladder that specifically dulled the wits, blunted the senses. At least this is how he felt. The other clansmen didn't seem to mind it.

They bore their duties with more dignity than he ever could. "I know that there are others within the clan that feel as I do! I cannot be the only one!" It was as he said to Odion – the human spirit can detect and struggle against that which is inhuman. This was the presupposition that Hank based his belief on. Others would follow his example. His spark would serve as the first step to a blazing inferno, and the fire of freedom would burn.

Thoughts like these kept him going as he slept with one eye open, as he donned the red clothes and hat that were becoming like a second skin as the days passed. "I may have abandoned the name of Ishtar, but that does not change the fact that they were once my flesh and blood…I want them to be free."

Hank made his way north as fast as possible, exhausting his savings on quick flights in an attempt to lose whatever scouts Marik and Ishizu doubtless sent on his tail. He knew that those two would never forgive him for his brutalizing of Odion. "A man has no choice but to make enemies in this world if he means to become someone of note…!" Hank rationalized.

His journey had taken him to Italy. He knew from one of Ishizu's offhand comments that Seto Kaiba was banned from ever setting foot in Italy again due to some mysterious "noodle incident", by order of the prime minister. It would make a suitable place to hide until he figured out his next move.

The trip had gone well. There were few questions from airport security or customs. A taxi waited outside to bring him to the hotel he would be staying in. For a few fleeting moments, Hank felt he could breathe easy.

Standing directly in front of the inn was a man in knight's armor, covered from head to toe in impossibly shiny silver plate. He leaned casually against the brick building, but Hank could immediately sense an underlying intensity. Hastily paying the cab driver, Hank tried to smoothly walk past the knight, but a firm hand on his shoulder froze him in his tracks.

"I almost didn't recognize you with that hat on, Hank." The voice was dark, metallic, and yet…. familiar? Where had he heard that voice before?

"I think you have the wrong man." Hank coughed, trying to remove the knight's hand from his person, but it wouldn't budge no matter how hard he pushed.

"Let's go inside and get a drink. It gets dreadfully hot in my armor. Don't worry about payment, by the way." The knight effortlessly steered Hank inside, looking for all the world as if they were two old buddies.

A few minutes later, they were sitting in the empty hotel bar, each man quaffing a cold drink. The mysterious knight casually drank a dark ale while Hank helped himself to _Qasab_. He was surprised that this bar carried such a drink, but at the moment he was more concerned with this random assailant's intentions. Hank was armed, of course, but something told him a bullet wasn't going to get through that armor, no matter how medieval it appeared.

But more than that, something about this person…this being…instilled deep fear in him. Hank did not consider himself craven. He was only the second Ishtar in history to rebel against the clan, and he had no intentions of making the same mistakes Marik did. But this knight…even without doing anything, he exuded a powerful aura.

"I understand your trepidation. When a man is faced with something he truly fears, he cannot simply ignore it. He must either become subordinate…or strike out and erase the source of the fear. So which will it be?" He said blithely, and yet with melancholic wisdom.

"You don't seem scared of me striking out. So the decision for me comes to whether your outward appearance is a façade or not." Hank spoke lowly.

"Yes, that would be an accurate summation. Would you at least hear what I have to say first? That may make your decision easier." Somehow, the knight was able to drink without lifting his helm. Either that or the movement was so quick Hank could not perceive it.

"Take off that helmet first." Hank demanded. "And speak your name while you're at it."

"Blade Knight will suffice. I am a duel spirit, after all."

"Enough of this wordplay. What is your real name?"

Wordlessly, the knight took off his helmet. Hank gaped in shock. "What? How is this possible? You're-"

"I already told you my name. Now then, please listen to my offer, and your questions may be answered along the way."

"…what do you want?" Hank asked dumbly.

"A great many things. Bur from you specifically? The Egyptian Gods."

XxXxxXxxxXXxxXxxxXXxxXXXXxxXXxxXXxx

(Seto Kaiba POV)

"~DOOOOOOOON'T SAY IF I WERE YOU~"

"~OR TELL ME WHAT TO DOOOOOO~"

"~HOW THINGS WOULD BE IF YOU WERE IN MY SHOES~"

"CAUSE YOU'RE NOT ME! C'mon, sing along!"

"Sir, I have to focus on landing the plane."

"Oh shit, are we here already?" Kaiba saw they had indeed made it to KaibaCorp's Norway office in Oslo, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon jet descending to the rooftop helipad. Kaiba would have flown the plane himself, but he had work to do and the journey was too long to be so unproductive. Sadly, the pilot was even more of a cold fish then he himself could be at times.

"Time flies when you're working on expense reports, eh?" Kaiba quickly collected his things and made to depart the jet when it landed.

"How long should I expect to wait here, sir?" The pilot asked.

"However long it takes me to take a trading card from a high school student." Kaiba answered with the utmost gravity.

"Wait, that's what we're here for?" The pilot began to protest.

"Just wait here." Kaiba slammed the door on him and made his way to the parking garage. He ripped out of there in a white Maybach, kept there for specifically for his arrival.

"I cannot allow such power to exist outside of my control. Then again, it might be entertaining if this Jesse Anderson character decides to use the Sacred Beast against me. I could use a good battle these days…" Kaiba then maniacally laughed out loud.

The Anderson residence was an hour's drive out of the city, humble and rural. The house was atop a hill overlooking a nearby valley and river, with distinctive red siding and a thatched roof. Sheep freely roved the range, and Kaiba had to swerve to avoid hitting one with his car.

"Where the hell do I park?" Kaiba eventually decided to park his extremely expensive sports car on a random side of the gravel road near the house.

Striding up to the front door, he was greeted by a rough-looking woman in denim overalls and a flannel shirt. "Hello?" She greeted somewhat impatiently.

"My name is Seto Kaiba, I am here to meet with Jesse Anderson regarding his recent exhibition duel in America. I discussed this over email with him and his parents." Kaiba said coldly in Norwegian. Languages were one of the many skills drilled into his brain as a child under Gozaburo's relentless tutelage.

"Oh, I see!" Her demeanor changed instantly. "It's an honor to have such a famous man visit our little house. My name is Anna, and I'm Jesse's mother. I will call Jesse back from the fields at once."

"These people must be shepherds." Many people would think that Kaiba would find such work beneath him, but in reality he respected it immensely. He knew that rural people had to work extremely hard to provide for themselves and their families, and if there was one thing Kaiba respected besides power and money, it was hard work. It was honest work too, far removed from the intrigue of international finance. In his moments of reflection, sometimes Kaiba wondered how he would have turned out if he were born into such a life…but now was not the time to think of such things.

Jesse rode in from miles away on a white horse, wearing a light checkered button-up shirt tucked into well-worn jeans. A wide hat protected his head from the sun, though it was fairly cool here compared to Japan.

After tending to his horse, Jesse strode over and took off his hat, extending a hand to Kaiba. "Mister Kaiba, it's nice to meet ya! I'm Jesse. Sorry for the wait!"

"Will your father be joining us?" Kaiba brusquely asked.

"Someone has to see to the sheep. Anders won't leave the hired help to do it without either himself or Jesse present. Let's go inside and talk further." Anna said casually, but roughly. Kaiba bristled at being ordered around, but decided not to say anything.

The kitchen was small and cozy. Jesse was drinking a glass of milk (weirdo, Kaiba thought), while Anna and Kaiba were having coffee, although Kaiba slipped some whiskey from his jacket flask into his cup while they weren't looking. Jesse's mother excused herself to go do some laundry, leaving the two of them alone.

"I saw your exhibition match against David Rabb. It was an impressive performance. Unfortunate that your opponent chose to surrender though – spoils the victory." Kaiba said before taking a long swig.

"Oh, that's not really that important to me. I'm just glad I got the chance to test myself against someone from a different country! Not every day a chance like that comes around. I had a lot of fun!" Jesse said purely.

"Listen, you can cut the nice guy act, it's just the two of us here." Kaiba lowered his voice.

"What act? I'm not sure what you mean." Jesse said, confused.

"Ugh, never mind." Kaiba waved his hand impatiently. "I noticed that a big part of your strategy was summoning that Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder. Where did you get such a card?"

"Well sir, I know that's exactly what you came here to ascertain. You might not believe me, but I'm telling the truth. It landed outside of North Academy's campus, in the ice fields. The crater's still there." Jesse said, clearly speaking carefully.

" _Lancaster did say that Kagemaru scattered one of the cards to the North of Central Academy, which is obviously where North Academy would be…but how did he do that? And how did the card arrive undamaged?"_ Kaiba thought. _"I suppose Anderson had to get the card somehow."_

"I see. And I'm sure you're aware of why I would be interested in Hamon's whereabouts." Kaiba emptied his cup. Forgoing the coffee, he decided to drink straight whiskey from his flask.

"Actually, I'm not clear on that, sir." Jesse replied.

"The card is one of a kind, and very valuable. It was not made by Maximillion Pegasus. I have reason to believe that this card, along with the other two Sacred Beasts, are centuries old at least. They have immense historical value, so I'm afraid I must ask that they be returned to KaibaCorp's care." It was as fine a cover story as any in Kaiba's opinion. If this kid knew that he was carrying around a ticking time bomb everywhere he went, he would probably freak out a little.

"Is that the only reason you want it back, sir?" Jesse seemed suddenly possessed by a forwardness he had not displayed up to this point.

Kaiba was surprised, though his cold mask did not slip for a moment. "Why else would I need them? I rarely duel anymore, and the cards are of no use to me in battle." The explanation was rehearsed. "Besides, it would not be fair for someone to use a one-of-a-kind card in tournaments and academic tests."

"Forgive my boldness, sir, but aren't you the same guy who destroyed all but three copies of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon so that you were the only one who could use it?" Jesse rightfully protested.

"That was different."

"How?"

"Because I'm Seto Kaiba."

Jesse sighed and pinched his nose for a moment. "My mistake. So I take it you want me to give the card back?" He said with a note of resignation.

Kaiba nodded. "That's right. Purely for posterity's sake." The line was wry, but Kaiba truly didn't care about using the cards – he cared more about depriving potential enemies a weapon to use against him. _"Lancaster was right about the boy being humble."_ Suddenly, a whim occurred to Kaiba.

"Mister Anderson, do you know anyone by the name of Jamie Lancaster?" Kaiba asked.

Jesse thought for a moment. "I think I've heard that name somewhere before, but I'm pretty sure I don't know that person."

 _"I see."_ Kaiba emptied his cup again. _"Curious. Lancaster had this boy's character pegged, but Anderson says that they haven't met before."_

Deciding to let the matter rest for the moment, the White Dragon returned to the task at hand. "I don't suppose you have the card here with you?"

Jesse looked uncomfortable under Kaiba's cold, dead gaze. "Uh, yeah. It's up in my room. I'll go get it." The teal-haired boy quickly bounded upstairs, leaving Kaiba alone for the moment.

 _"Hmph. I'm surprised at his lack of defiance. I expected a duelist of his caliber to have a greater will than that. Then again, I suppose it is only right he return the card since it's not his."_ Kaiba rationalized. _"Either way, with one of the beasts in my hands, the other two present less of a problem. For once, something went smoothly."_

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Anna quickly made her way through the small cottage and answered it, clearly not expecting another visitor. Neither was Kaiba, though he didn't think it would have anything to do with him.

Anna entered the kitchen with a shocked look on her face just as Kaiba was drinking the last of his flask. There was an awkward silence, but eventually she spoke up.

"Mister Kaiba, where is Jesse?"

"Retrieving what was promised." He answered cryptically.

"Oh. Well, while you're waiting, there's someone claiming to be an old acquaintance of yours in the entryway." She gestured behind her.

Kaiba's eyes narrowed as he strode over to the doorway. "Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me." He cursed upon seeing who the visitor was.

"Oooh, Kaiba Boy! It really has been far too long!"

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **Shorter chapter this time, but this felt like a natural end point. Just so everyone knows, this arc will be concluding in the next few (2-3ish) chapters. Super excited to write season two with a few of my own personal twists.**

 **Writing Jasmine dueling was fun, I really like the chance to develop another female duelist, and I'm trying to make her distinct from Alexis and Erin. I am also a huge Six Samurai fanboy, it's one of my favorite decks in the game alongside Infernity, Blue-Eyes, and D/D/D, so I had fun writing them. Bastion using Six Samurai makes a lot of sense to me since he is known for playing six decks, and the Six Samurai have very diverse effects just as Bastion has a diverse playstyle. Jasmine using them here is meant to symbolize her bond with Bastion. She may get fed up with him a lot of the time, but at the same time she really appreciates that he takes her seriously as a person and a duelist.**

 **How will this visitor affect the deal between Kaiba and Jesse? Something tells me he's going to ~spice~ up things up in yuuge ways.**

 **Work and life have been busy lately, but I'm writing when I can. Writing this story has provided some nice balance for me lately, haha. Been dealing with some heavy stuff, so it's funny to sit down and write a little more of this SI story about Yugioh GX every day. I started writing this basically on a lark, but this story has become an actual part of my life now, I feel like. And I've loved every minute of it. Not to get too bogged down in sappy bullshit, just wanted to say that. Peace.**


	35. That Which Was Lost

Chapter 35: That Which Was Lost

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

When I had finished reflecting, I decided to make my way downstairs. The party had been cleared out completely, empty drinks strewn about the floor and dishes stacked up on tables.

"Don't worry about all this, the hotel staff will clean it up in the morning. And I'll make sure they get good tips." Mokuba had a way of sneaking up on me. He was surprisingly coherent for a guy that had been drinking heavily for the past nine hours. I suppose college has a way of building up a man's alcohol tolerance. This younger body was a total lightweight in comparison to what I could handle in my own college days, but I digress.

"Where's Roland?" I asked after an oddly long pause.

"Home. Or on his way, anyways. His smokeshow wife didn't drink." Mokuba answered crudely. "Everyone else is either gone or is waiting for a cab."

"Good." I was glad that Bastion and Jasmine were already gone. I didn't want either of them in danger. With Bastion drunk as a skunk, Jasmine was the only one of the two who could duel, and that was a pretty generous assumption considering how silly she was in class.

"Do you have the rare cards?" Mokuba asked. "Cause if you don't my brother is going to kill you. And I don't mean that in a metaphorical way, I mean literally."

"Yeah, they're right here, still sleeved. Far be it from me to harm your brother's precious assets." I slapped the deck in Mokuba's hands, feeling petty and snappish.

"Well done. I don't know who that guy was or what his problem was, but it looks like you sent him packing! Where is he now? How did he know you?" Now the questions came pouring out.

"Don't worry about it, it was just some weirdo. Flew away on those wings of his after I beat his fucking ass." I said without making eye contact.

"Did he?" Mokuba said with cool suspicion. "I trust he…won't be a problem any more?" He said lowly, and I knew what he was implying.

"No." I said quickly. "Not anymore."

"I suppose if you were able to handle Kagemaru, then this shouldn't be new territory. Not one for half-measures, are you Lancaster?" Mokuba regarded me strangely.

I thought of seeing Camula disappear. I thought of my harsh and unforgiving treatment of Banner. I thought of my voice breaking as I questioned a dying Kagemaru. "No, no half-measures."

"Don't sweat it, Lancaster, I saw my brother do much worse when he was your age. Can't afford to be soft in this world. But it was his nature to rise higher and higher, anything in service to his dream. I wonder if that is your nature as well."

"I didn't take any pleasure in it. I tried to show him mercy." I protested weakly.

"You should be glad you were even in a position to show mercy in the first place. You're still alive, aren't you? Then keep walking. Life is too uncertain to have regrets." Mokuba clapped me on the shoulder. "I can see why my brother hired you, you're a lot like him. Now then, I need to get some sleep. You should do the same."

I found the knowledge that I was like Kaiba to be chilling. "That makes me feel a lot better. Thank you, Mokuba. See you Monday." I said with a false smile.

I walked out to the parking lot, wondering how I was going to get back home. I'm sure Tobias and Joanna were worried sick. " _I must carry my cards with me at all times now. That could have been really bad."_ I thought with hardened resolve. How ridiculous, that trading cards could be a lifeline in this world. But I didn't make the rules. And what difference does the weapon make anyways, once the battle had begun?

 _"Duel spirits can attack anywhere at anytime. I can no longer afford to be lax. I must go higher and higher in order to live. But not like a dragon…not like Kaiba. I refuse to become like that man! I must carve my own path…things are gonna have to change around Obelisk Blue this fall. Sartorius, Tragoedia, Yubel…I will defeat you all!"_

XxXxxXxxXxxxxxXXXxXXXxxXX

(Seto Kaiba POV)

"I confess I didn't expect you of all people here, Kaiba Boy. Small world, is it not?"

Standing in the doorway was the seemingly ageless Maximillion Pegasus, CEO of Industrial Illusions, creator of Duel Monsters, and host of the Duelist Kingdom tournament, a tournament that was crucial in the game's popularity booming on a global scale. Silky silver hair (it had always been that color, even as a young man) was carefully positioned to cover his empty left eye socket. Kaiba still didn't know how someone as meek as Ryo Bakura could have taken the Millennium Eye, but it didn't matter now.

For some reason, Pegasus was peacocking today - a dapper, yet loud red double-breasted tuxedo, rounded white boots that looked like something Mai Valentine would kill for, and…were those _stockings_ Kaiba saw running up his calves? All his personal design, if the Industrial Illusions logo was any indication.

"What's wrong, cat got your tongue?" Pegasus' smarmy tone rang in Kaiba's ears. Overcoming his surprise, Kaiba turned to Jesse's mother.

"Please tell Jesse that we will be waiting outside. I could use some air." Without waiting for a response, Kaiba practically shoved past Pegasus and stood on the porch. The silver-haired man followed quickly after muttering some pleasantries to Anna.

"What are you doing here?" Kaiba asked through clenched teeth. There were never any coincidences with Pegasus – the man always felt comfortable dabbling in the affairs of others. Of course, Kaiba was in the midst of dabbling in someone else's affairs when Pegasus arrived, but the hypocrisy was lost on him as it often was.

"Is that any way to treat an old friend? Why, it's been years!" Pegasus actually went in for a hug before Kaiba stepped out of his reach. The man always stood too fucking close for his liking – Kaiba seriously doubted he was straight, despite the sob story Yugi fed him about Pegasus having a dead wife. As if he, the great Seto Kaiba, was gullible enough to believe such tripe!

At Kaiba's tense silence, Pegasus continued, "That really is a nice tie – the blue brings out your eyes quite nicely." His finger trailed up Kaiba's chest, and the White Dragon cringed at how deliberate every word was. Always bullshitting around the point. He removed the perfectly manicured hand from his person swiftly.

"Must I repeat myself?" Kaiba said coldly.

"I'd prefer to wait until Jesse is here, as this has much to do with him." Pegasus finally moved the conversation along.

"Why? Is he your protégé or something?" Kaiba snarked. He could see that. He wouldn't be surprised if Anderson and Pegasus went to bat for the same team, so to speak.

"After a fashion. You know, I was the one who gave him the Crystal Beasts in the first place. I could tell that they were meant for him. He's one of the best duelists I've seen from this new generation." Pegasus explained, not seeming to pick up on what Kaiba was implying.

"I actually agree. He is stronger than he appears. Judging by the exhibition match at the American Duel Academy, he might even have more potential than the Princeton brat." Kaiba surmised, seemingly unaware of how Pegasus was guiding the conversation.

Pegasus gave a noncommittal shrug. "Princeton was facing a stronger opponent. Speaking of that particular name, I've heard some troubling rumors about Slade and Jagger. From one friend to another, I thought you might like to hear them." Pegasus insinuated.

"No such thing as a free lunch, especially with you, Pegasus. You can stow your favors for someone who needs them. If you mean to tell me that those two are untrustworthy shitheels, I already knew that. On my current list of enemies they aren't even in my top ten." Kaiba rudely refused, revealing his awareness.

"Am I in your top ten?" Pegasus batted his eyelashes, as if this would charm Kaiba into speaking truthfully.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kaiba teased back.

"I would, I truly would. But as I was saying, there seems to have been a falling out between them and the youngest one, Chazz. A former student of your school." Pegasus supplied nonetheless.

"You still act as if you know everything, even without that ridiculous bauble in your eye socket. So what?"

"I am glad to hear you finally acknowledge the Millennium Eye's power, but I assure you, my intelligence network is still flourishing. Why, it's almost as if I never lost the eye. Chazz is currently obsessed with retrieving his Light and Darkness Dragon card. He believes Reggie Mackenzie, the number one student at the American academy, stole it from him." Pegasus continued.

"Reggie Mackenzie…" Kaiba tasted the name.

"She will be attending Central Academy this fall as a transfer student." Pegasus smirked.

Kaiba narrowed. "I'll have my intern keep an eye on her." Lancaster could include that in the regular reports Kaiba already planned on assigning him. Recent events taught Kaiba that keeping a tighter hold over the island would be…prudent. It should be easy enough considering Mackenzie would be staying in the Obelisk Blue compound.

At that moment, Jesse left the house, a deck box in his hands. "Uhh…. mister Pegasus! I'm sorry, I didn't realize you would be coming!"

"Jesse boy! It's no problem at all, in fact I apologize for dropping by unannounced. Where are my manners?" Pegasus said jovially. Kaiba rolled his eyes. What was the point of this performance? Are some stupid enough to actually take it at face value?

"Mister Pegasus, I've been using the Crystal Beast cards you gave me. I can't thank you enough for them – these cards and I, we really do have a bond." Jesse profusely voiced. The boy seemed to actually admire Pegasus. Kaiba scoffed – it was like watching a mouse idolize a viper.

"I'm so glad to hear that! From what I've heard of your feats, they've served you well. You truly are something special, my boy." Pegasus said unctuously.

"Indeed. Mister Anderson had no need of the Sacred Beast to get where he is, and he won't need it to continue doing well. You see Pegasus, our discussion was just concluding when you showed up." Kaiba said impatiently.

"Well, I'm afraid the discussion is being reopened. I believe the best course would be to allow mister Anderson to keep Hamon." Pegasus raised his voice just a touch.

"What did you say?!" Kaiba roared. There was no way Pegasus didn't' know about the true nature of the Sacred Beasts, especially if his intelligence network was the bee's knees like he claimed. Jesse looked meekly between the two titans, deciding wisely not to jump in.

"Kaiba boy, it's for the best. Jesse is a capable duelist, and I believe that Hamon will be safe in his hands." Pegasus was soothing, like a babysitter to a pouty child.

"Like hell it is! How dare you meddle in my affairs!? I demand satisfaction!" Kaiba flew off the handle – Pegasus reliably grinded his gears.

Gently, Pegasus turned Kaiba away from Jesse, who looked more confused than ever. "You recall that Jesse is a good friend of Chazz Princeton, yes?"

"Sure, I knew that." Kaiba really didn't, but he feigned impatience anyways.

"You recall that Chazz is not on the best of terms with his brothers. Think about it - when Chazz left Central Academy, he was off the grid completely for nearly ninety days. The media was going crazy trying to figure out where he might have gone, and what did Slade and Jagger have to say when asked about whereabouts?" Pegasus continued.

"Not a damn thing. But I figured they were just saying that to get the press to fuck off. It's a good tactic." Kaiba countered.

"Perhaps, but when Chazz returned for the School Duel, he did so as a representative of North Academy, not the Princeton group. No sponsorships, no logos, no media appearances on their behalf. A new hire of mine by the name of Chumley Huffington told me that Chazz even refused to use a supply of rare cards offered to him by Slade. Frankly, I have little doubt that Chazz is planning to go independent – it's only a matter of when."

Kaiba was not sure why he should care. Then, the pieces started to come together. "Jesse is a friend of Chazz…"

"Exactly. Chazz has no chance of matching his brothers in the arenas of politics and finance. But he may well duel them to assert his independence, and having a Sacred Beast on his side may make all the difference." Pegasus concluded.

"You believe Chazz can be made an ally? I have no fondness for traitors." Kaiba said, but as he spoke, he remembered how it felt to be trapped under Gozaburo's suffocating, tyrannical influence. Kaiba never lost a wink of sleep after usurping him. "But then again…at the very least one potential enemy will be suppressed if those brothers go to war."

Pegasus and Kaiba turned back to Jesse. "Boy." Kaiba said dully, causing Jesse to snap to attention. "Listen to me. I have terms to offer." Pegasus stood back and allowed Kaiba to talk.

Jesse took a deep breath and nodded nervously. "I'm all ears."

"I will allow you to keep this Sacred Beast..." Jesse smiled, making to thank Kaiba profusely, but the CEO pressed on. "For now. Someday, I will return for it. Until that day, use it as you wish. I already know you can harness its power without losing control of it."

"Wow, that's great! What made you change your mind?" Jesse asked with a grin.

"Tell your buddy Chazz Princeton that I look forward to dealing with him on a more…professional basis in the future. I have a feeling he will need your assistance in the battles to come." After talking a little more to iron out some details, Kaiba bid Jesse a cordial goodbye. Pegasus' goodbye was a little more mushy, even giving Jesse a hug as he left.

The two men, probably the most influential figures in Duel Monsters, walked down the gravel road towards their respective sports cars. Pegasus was in a rather innocuous Audi A4 – unlike Kaiba, he had a chauffer driving him.

"If I find out that you made me waste my time…" Kaiba snarled, the threat hanging in the air.

"Kaiba Boy, you really ought to loosen up a little. We've been friends for so long, after all. A party at my estate might just do the trick…my door is always open to you~" The seemingly magnanimous offer made Kaiba's skin crawl.

"We are allies in this instance, nothing more. Besides, I have another party to deal with...Mokuba threw one for Roland's 55th birthday. I just hope my brother was able to pull it off without getting kidnapped this time." Without another word, Kaiba hopped in the Maybach and peeled out of the Anderson home, empty-handed.

XxXxXxXxXXxXxXXXXxXXxXxxxxX

(?)

Blade Knight returned to the spirit realm, his meeting with the one formerly known as Hank Ishtar concluded. It was a most fruitful discussion, though the fugitive required some…convincing when it came to a few sensitive matters. It amused Blade Knight to see the man in that juvenile red hat, trying to escape his own name. Such things can never be truly escaped. The past cannot…should not…be forgotten. Overall though, Hank had few other options but to help him gain the Egyptian Gods, so the negotiations were fairly expedient. There was still much planning required until such a plan could be initiated, though.

He waited for a time at the agreed point he was to meet Birdman and Command Knight, but neither of them showed. Blade Knight cared nothing for Birdman – that one was a fanatical zealot for Yubel's cause, swearing by Jaden Yuki as the Supreme King of the twelve dimensions. From what Blade Knight had seen of the boy, he was a simple boy with a full heart and an empty head who was more concerned with fun and friends than he was with ruling the universe. Yubel assuaged many of the army's doubts with claims that his memory was tampered with, as well as speculating that he did not know of his past reincarnation's status as king. Blade Knight was not sure if she spoke the truth or not, but even if she was, Yubel was too unstable and psychotic to follow for long. Only those equally crazed and violent enjoyed serving under her, like Birdman.

But Command Knight…that was a tougher loss to swallow. She was one of the only ones he dared to confide in. In the end, he wanted to believe that she truly cared. His trust could have backfired at any point, but it hadn't. With her, the armor came off. He couldn't believe she was gone – this assignment was supposed to be easy! Misawa was drunk, right? How did he prevail? Did the lion feed him some sort of information? Was he really drunk? Blade Knight had no way of answering these questions.

" _I won't let it be in vain, my friend."_ Blade Knight vowed then and there that he would arrange a proper sendoff for the fallen warrior. "I won't stop until the war is won."

Blade Knight then drew his sword, creating a direct pathway to Yubel's castle. It was one of the many useful abilities held in his weapon, but it was dreadfully taxing as well. Power never comes without a price – Blade Knight was acutely aware of this truism. The next time he went to sleep, he probably wouldn't wake up for a day.

He reappeared in his personal chambers, a privilege granted by being one of the few in Yubel's inner circle. He greatly appreciated the privacy, especially right now. However, as he made to take off his helm, he became aware of how unusually noisy it seemed in the castle. Down below, he could hear whoops and hollers. What was going on?

Blade Knight rushed down to the foyer to find a good portion of Yubel's duel spirit army throwing down like there was no tomorrow. A grand party was being held, the demons feasting and drinking in good cheer.

"What the hell?" Blade Knight could not fathom why this was happening. Unless…did they go forth into battle without him? When he was the one drawing up most of the battle plans?

Yubel sat the high table with the rest of the inner circle – Chaos Sorcerer, Mr. Volcano, and Jinzo. Jinzo nervously fidgeted in his seat, unable to eat or drink due to his cybernetics. Yubel most likely sat him there to make him uncomfortable. Chaos Sorcerer and Mr. Volcano seemed to eat merrily, but they were both carefully watching and anticipating Yubel's moods – it was the only way to survive being in her service. Yubel, on the other hand, was completely uninhibited, drinking wine from a strangely colored goblet. Upon closer inspection, Blade Knight realized it was a skull. Why wasn't he surprised? All of them showed signs of battle, but none more so than Yubel – blood stained her hands and fingers, and a few drops had crusted on her face and hair as well. _"She is probably in one of her choking moods."_ Blade Knight silently observed.

"Ah, Blade Knight! So good of you to join us. I was worried that you fell ill. Where have you been?" Yubel asked jovially, but Blade Knight knew that if he answered wrong he would be in for a world of pain.

"I was out scouting, as scheduled. It appears the siege of Endymion is over." The Knight said coldly.

"An astute observation." Mr. Volcano noted to chuckles from Yubel and Chaos Sorcerer. "We had enough waiting around, that's all. Those damn spellcasters had some decent tricks, but they weren't real killers. Once we broke through the walls, the battle was won. Besides, your scouting was taking longer than scheduled."

"We encountered some of the Mad King's forces. I beat them back, but Birdman and Command Knight were lost." Blade Knight reported sadly, and it was an emotion he did have to fake.

To his surprise, Yubel's features softened. "I see. Come, take a walk with me. I will fill you in on what has happened since you left." She suddenly stood and began to walk out of the feasting hall. Warily, the masked knight followed close behind. What was Yubel's motive here? Did she know that he went to the human world somehow? He was tense as a drawn bowstring as they wandered down the moonlit corridors of the castle.

"You have my sympathies." Yubel finally said as they walked side by side, neither trusting the other enough to walk in front. "I can feel your loneliness and pain. Considering all that has happened to you…to lose someone you care about again must be hard."

Blade Knight was not sure how to answer, feeling instinctively that this must have been a trap. "Such is the nature of war."

Yubel frowned. "True. But to fight without the one you care about is empty. Today, I was surrounded by distress, fear, blood, and screams – I love all of these things, and yet I could not enjoy them without Jaden here. Those who we are bonded to nourish us, and without them we are naught but beasts." She said in a somber tone of voice.

Blade Knight was utterly befuddled. He had never seen Yubel behave this way. She was always either openly blood lusted, or otherwise seething and calculating. For the first time, he almost began to view her as something other than a demon.

"…What is the plan moving forward? Is the citadel truly fallen?" He asked, taking the conversation back to relatively safe waters.

Again, Yubel seemed frustrated that he refused to be open with her. "It is. We sustained some losses, but overall the battle was a great victory. The Mad King's forces are in retreat, but I know he has more powerful fighters in his employ than what were stationed at Endymion today. The war is not yet won. Before Jaden finally joins us and takes his place as king, I want the throne secured. For now, we will take our focus away from the human realm. Once this dimension is united, we will move forward with the creation of the Super Polymerization card, and then, once the twelve dimensions are merged, Jaden will return to my arms where he belongs."

"And of course, you shall obtain what you desire as well." She added. "Fate will bring us back to what we have lost."

"…I appreciate your comforting words." Blade Knight said dully. " I am quite exhausted. If you'll excuse me, I think it would be best if I retired to my chambers."

"Of course." Yubel said in what she thought was a soothing voice. "Rest as needed. Cultivate that pain…after all, where would I be if I did cultivate my own hatred? Then, you will return to the war room."

Blade Knight bowed stiffly before retreating upstairs. _"Is it possible that I bear similarity to that creature?"_ He wondered?

"Blade Knight," Yubel called out behind him, making him stiffen. "This brings me back to when we first met. You were a nameless warrior, wandering from battlefield to battlefield. We fought a duel for your freedom. What a duel we had that day...one of the singularly most memorable of my life. I will make sure you are toasted in tonight's drinking."

The knight silently continued his ascent up the stairs.

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It was the end of July, and so it was time for Tobias Lancaster to read the monthly livestock journal. His steely blue eyes took in the news attentively – he prided himself on an attention to detail.

Jamie was sitting next to him at the kitchen table, scarfing down a plate of scrambled eggs and ham. It was Friday, and the boy was about to head out to work for the day. Tobias was about to do the same. Joanna was outside tending to the family garden, trying to water them before the heat of the day set in.

They both reached for the coffee pot at the same time. "Sorry, go ahead." Jamie said quickly.

"It's fine." Tobias waved, allowing his son to drink the last of the brew. Jamie silently nodded his thanks. The boy never seemed to meet his eyes these days. In fact, he had been awfully quiet ever since he came back for the summer.

It was impossible not to notice some of the changes in Jamie. He was in better physical shape now than he used to be, his jawline a lot sharper and more defined. Tobias imagined that Jamie would have gotten soft at that damn boarding school, but if anything it seemed the opposite had occurred. Jamie seemed far less interested in sports now as well. Before, he used to love following the National Hockey League in North America, his favorite team being the Anaheim Ducks. Nowadays he could barely be arsed to watch the Stanley Cup Finals. "I suppose teenage boys are prone to such whims…" He thought, but it didn't seem like a satisfying answer.

After wiping his mouth with a napkin, Jamie stood and said, "Have a good day, dad." Almost hastily, the boy reached for his bag and made for the front door.

"Jamie, just a second." Tobias said smoothly and calmly, not looking up from the paper. His son froze for a moment, but turned around all the same.

"As you know, the summer is coming to an end soon. I know you're working long days, and you value your free time. But I'd like to take you out fishing at least once before you leave for school. You've been doing very well." _"And it's good to see you're finally growing up a little."_ He added silently.

Jamie smiled. "That sounds good. I really appreciate it, dad. It'll be good to cast in freshwater for a change."

Tobias smiled back, putting down the paper and taking off his reading glasses. "Your mother and I will be going out tonight. Apparently, we're going to see a play, I think it's called Cats or something like that. It's a bunch of bullshit of course, but you know how she likes that sort of thing."

"Right." Jamie laughed. "Just so you know, the title isn't symbolic. It's about actual cats, singing and dancing ones."

"Oh goody. Well, we'll leave some money for you, feel free to order a pizza or what have you." Tobias cursed under his breath, Joanna walking inside at that moment. Her hair was tucked behind a bandanna, and her gloves were dirty from weeding.

"What were you guys talking about?" She asked with a knowing smile.

"Oh, erm…beef prices are down." Tobias clumsily lied.

"Oh? That's too bad." Her smile widened. Tobias was never able to hide much from her. Neither was Jamie…or so he thought.

"Alright, I have to go! See ya!" Jamie bowed out.

"Have a good day, sweetie!" Joanna waved cheerily. Those two had the same eyes, Tobias noted not for the first time. A bright, clever green.

Jamie left thereafter, and Tobias soon had to leave as well. Straightening his tie, he leaned over to kiss his wife on the cheek. "See you tonight."

"Do you have a second?" She asked. He nodded sharply.

"Toby…what happened to our little boy? He seems so distant now, I barely even recognize him. It's like a different person came back from that school." Joanna said wistfully.

Tobias was never good with this mushy stuff. "What do you mean, dear?"

"It seems like he's always wearing a mask now. His eyes are always sad, as if they're weighed down by some burden that no one can see. Know what I mean?" She pressed.

"He's just growing up, that's all. You worry too much. Look at how well he's doing, he's working for one of the largest gaming corporations in the world, and he's only sixteen! Remember how much of a goof-off he used to be? Going to that school has really lit a fire under his ass. He's become a man." Tobias countered, feeling his voice become laced with pride. He always thought Duel Monsters was a silly thing, but its growing importance on the global stage in the past decade had revealed the game to be as legitimate a career path as any. He just didn't think going to a private boarding school about the game would result in Jamie getting the backbone he has. When he was the boy's age, he was getting ready to go to trade school for god's sake!

"Oh, I suppose you're right. But still…something seems off." Joanna was clearly not entirely convinced by her husband's argument.

"He'll be fine." Tobias said soothingly, rubbing her shoulders. "He has to grow up sometime. You just can't stay a child forever, at some point you have to spread your wings. He's still our boy, our flesh and blood."

"Hmm..." Joanna still did not look entirely convinced.

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(Jamie Lancaster POV)

The summer went by quickly, as it always does. My first summer in this world had passed. I confess I was never too terribly fond of the season. I generally prefer autumn, although summer is good for fishing of course.

Kaiba came back from Norway without the Sacred Beast, which is something I could not have predicted. A selfish man like him probably hated the feeling. Of course, we're all selfish, but he can afford to be a bit more open about it than most. Is power simply the ability to discard the mask and wear one's will on their sleeve?

I asked him about it. All Kaiba said was that Hamon would continue to be in Jesse Anderson's possession for the foreseeable future. Who could have convinced Kaiba to leave the boy alone? Was it Yugi? I couldn't help but notice that the currently reigning King of Games was quite shy of the public stage. Ironic that he shunned power and fame, and yet had both in excess. I couldn't imagine anyone else actually succeeding in convincing Kaiba to do a thing. Perhaps the White Dragon deemed it in his best interest to allow Jesse to keep the card for now. Jesse was a good man, but could he protect Hamon if the demons came calling for it?

From there, I concluded that it would be for the best if Jesse and Jaden were kept separated. It was a heartless thing to think, but their bond, deep as it was, caused so much pain to themselves and others. It nearly caused the end of the universe as we know it. _"No."_ I corrected myself. _"It was Yubel that twisted their bond, who controlled Jesse for her own aims."_ My growing hatred of Yubel was irrational, as I knew it wasn't all her fault that she did the things she did. But in this world, those actions resulted in true death and destruction on a universal scale, and not just through a fictional medium. Her intense devotion to killing me in the most painful way possible also did little to endear me.

My thoughts drifted as I sat in Bastion's garage. It was our last weekend before we were to return to Duel Academy. We were watching a baseball game on a small CRT that Bastion set up by his father's tool bench. I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise that Bastion played fantasy baseball – for someone as smart as him, keeping track of the various players and their stats probably wasn't that hard.

"Alright, Jamie, I just need Trout to get one more good run and my position will be secure." Bastion wore a rusty orange tank with black gym shorts – it was a brutally hot day outside. He was drinking water while I helped myself to a beer from his dad's fridge. So far, Bastion was keeping to his vow not to drink alcohol – apparently, the morning after his overindulgence party was quite punishing for him.

"Hard to believe the summer's already gone." I murmured.

"Well, surely it's not that hard to believe, three months have passed, which is usually how long summer lasts." Bastion wasn't even being sarcastic, he was just observing a fact. A master of conversation, he was not. "Frankly, after how hard we've worked, Duel Academy will be a nice break by comparison.

"I doubt it. This year will be challenging, I feel." I sighed, thinking of Sartorius and Aster Phoenix.

"Can't be as bad as last year, right?" Bastion asked while jotting down some stats on his notepad.

"Heh, maybe not." If I play my cards right and be proactive, perhaps the Society of Light won't be such a problem this time around. After all, as long as no one strong duels and loses against Sartorius, then there's no way that the Society can really materialize. But this begs the question – is it fate that Sartorius' plans advance? Is there really anything I can do? Am I subject to the whims of destiny like the others are? No, I refuse to believe it! I will not be a mere piece in someone else's grand design!

 _"Fate, destiny…if these things truly do exist as we humans perceive them, then there must be a reason for me being here, reincarnated in this world. If my purpose in the cosmic plan, if there is such a thing, is to fall at Sartorius' hands, then so be it. But if there is no such plan, or fate, then whether I fail or not depends on my own efforts. So it seems that the only way to know for sure is to impose my will, and see what happens."_ I pondered.

"Bastion, do you believe in fate?" I asked, genuinely curious about his answer.

Bastion raised an eyebrow. "Feeling philosophical, are we? You are an interesting one, Jamie." I continued to wait silently for his answer.

"Well, it's a complicated question. I believe that something similar, perhaps akin to fate can occur when one has made a certain amount of choices. You see, when someone embarks on a particular path far enough, only a few outcomes are available to him, and this lack of scope can resemble fate. Ultimately, however, none of us behave as though we are beholden to some grand design. No one seriously believes that they must do a thing because destiny says so. Perhaps those fools that believe in astrology do – I have to cheat on my boyfriend because I am a Scorpio! – and so on. Anyways, since everyone behaves as though they have free will, it is perhaps best to navigate this world on the presupposition that we do actually have free will, practically speaking." As I expected, Bastion gave a nuanced answer, ponderous and verbose and yet lacking in his own personal opinion.

"But do you truly believe that humans have free will?" I asked piercingly.

"Well, our genetics certainly play a key role in determining our behavior, as does our upbringing. But in a cosmic sense of the term…well, I have seen no evidence to suggest such a thing. If fate exists, it is probably more ordinary than most would like. I have noticed that people tend to like the idea of fate when they themselves are losing in the game of life, while those who succeed believe they did so entirely on their own efforts." Bastion continued.

"So, in short…who the fuck knows?" I concluded.

We both laughed. "I suppose we'll find out when we die. For now, I prefer to occupy myself with the earthly sciences, as opposed to metaphysics." Bastion agreed.

I internally continued to laugh. After all, I died once and I still didn't know diddly-dick about the workings of the universe. Unless that cold, black void I drifted in was the true afterlife…it was a thought so unappealing I couldn't give voice to it.

"We'll find out at some point, I'm sure." I shrugged and let the matter rest. I was outwardly calm, but inside, my blood boiled at the prospect of the battles ahead.

 _"The Gentle Darkness, the Light of Destruction, or any other gods that exist out there, hear me now! I will defeat everything you throw at me. Everything."_

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **This chapter was light on action, but we get to explore aspects of the world and the perspectives of characters rarely seen. I find such things important.**

 **Pegasus is ambiguous (in more ways than one), suave, slippery. Most of all, he has a seemingly omnipresent awareness of the balance of power – it is as though the Millennium Eye is still with him. Some would think that Pegasus relying on the eye so much would cause him to become ineffectual without it, but I think that over the years he would not lose his touch for manipulation and power dynamics. To me, he is the perfect foe for Kaiba, who is inflexible and transparent in his motives. Pegasus, on the other hand…who knows what he wants? Is he truly a "good guy", fully redeemed? It's anybody's guess. Perhaps he simply gets amusement from denying dear old Kaiba boy and his earlier justifications were just a means to that end.**

 **I really think it's important to get to see what the parents think, short though it was. How will they react to the truth, if they ever learn it?**

 **Jamie's resolve has strengthened. Obelisk Blue will be a different place with him at the helm, but how will it be different? Is he a slave to fate, or can he defeat the Society of Light? Well, it wouldn't be a very interesting story if season two went exactly the same as canon, so you can probably guess that one lol. I wonder what Sartorius knows about Jamie, and how that will affect his actions. I hope the conversation between Jamie and Bastion was engaging without being too ponderous or navel-gazing.**

 **With this, we have concluded the First Summer Arc! It was a lot of setup, but I promise it all has a purpose. Perhaps I could have continued on for a few more chapters, but this was where I felt it was right to move on. Next time, we will begin the Society of Light arc! Thank you for your continued readership!**


	36. Arrivalrivals

Chapter 36: Arrivalrivals

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

The plane touched down, and it was time to move. There was no time for fond returning speeches or nostalgic memory of school years past. Hastily, I dropped my things off at my room, locked the door, and rushed to the Headmaster's office. Someone knew would be sitting in that seat this year, and believe it or not he was actually an improvement over his predecessor, in my opinion.

"Headmaster Crowler, I hope your summer was pleasant."

"Signore Jamie, what a surprise!" Crowler looked the same as ever, though sitting behind that desk did lend a certain air of authority to him. "I'm flattered that you would visit me, your favorite teacher, upon arrival! And my summer was indeed pleasant, albeit busy." He chortled.

"Right." I smiled blandly. "It's good to be back." Being busy with school at least kept me from settling into bitter nostalgia.

"Yes, it's good to get back in the swing of things. I'm sure you and Signore Misawa learned much from your internships at KaibaCorp. To work with the top management at such a company must have been an incredible experience." Crowler flattered.

"It was. I'd love to talk with you about it, but I really should go unpack and settle in. I just wanted to drop this form off here. I believe the request form for the formation of a new school club should go through you, isn't that correct?" I slid a piece of paper across the desk.

"It should, but officially, it is supposed to go through your head of house first." Crowler corrected, much to my confusion.

"Oh, I take it you aren't the head of Obelisk Blue anymore?" I didn't think of that before coming in.

"That's correct. Since I am now headmaster, I can no longer be a head of house, due to conflicts of interest and whatnot." Crowler, biased? What? Next you're gonna tell me the sky is blue!

He anticipated my next question. "I can't tell you who the new head will be. There has been some restructuring in that regard. You'll find out at orientation tomorrow, though!"

"Should I take this to…whoever that person is, then?" I asked, growing impatient.

"Hmm…I don't think that will be necessary. I think that I am capable of processing this particular request. It sounds like a worthy club for the right sort of students – I am in full support of it." Crowler winked. It sometimes made me uncomfortable how brazenly corrupt he is, but ultimately, what could I do about it? Such behavior was in his nature. Besides, I've got enough problems without making Crowler an enemy too. Best to stay on his good side.

"Thank you, doctor. And congratulations on the promotion." Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. "I would also like to extend a welcome to the new vice-principal."

Crowler looked at me quizzically. "Hmm? What do you mean, Jamie? There is no vice-principal position open at this academy, to my knowledge. Mister Sheppard had no vice-principal."

"Huh?" Wait, what? So that means that Bonaparte guy isn't around? Thank god, that's one less problem to worry about. Without him around, Crowler probably won't have the balls to try demolishing the Slifer Red dorm. Then again, my own knowledge was incomplete – I did not know why Bonaparte was hired in the original timeline while he was not in this one. Was there some new ripple formed along the way that escaped my notice? Or is this the result of some previous change, whose scope has expanded as time has gone on?

"My apologies, sir, I just heard a rumor."

"I see." Crowler seemed to accept that excuse. "Well, it's only natural for teenagers to engage in such antics. Stay vigilant, signore Jamie."

"I will, sir." I excused myself and departed shortly thereafter.

XxXxxXxXxXxXxXxxxXxxxXxx

Students arrive on the island on Saturday, while classes and orientation aren't until Tuesday. Welcome Weekend, as it was called, was a rather tumultuous time for freshman while otherwise a rather relaxed period for upperclassmen. It blurred by last year, as I was still grappling with the reality of my existence in this world. But now, it would be a suitable time to settle in and start planning for the semester.

It was nice to return to my old room. The searching gazes and odd looks that Tobias and Joanna sent me were starting to drive me insane. Hell, maybe I was already there. You have to be a little crazy to fight a cosmic force like the Light of Destruction and actually expect to succeed, right?

Still, I was least comforted by the knowledge that the bonds I made here at Duel Academy were truly my own, maintained by my own efforts. I put on some music and began to put away my clothes, school supplies, and other items I brought from the Lancaster home.

 _"I wonder where Sonata is."_ I had really started to miss her over the summer. I hope her mission was going well. I had a feeling that the Predaplants were not in friendly hands – if she come to be in danger because of me, I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle it. She was the only one who knew the secrets, warts and all, and she chose to stay by my side anyways. In time, I had started to understand what Jaden had meant about having a bond with his cards.

 _"Bah, this reflection does nothing to help me. I shouldn't be so indulgent. But it's so hard to leave the past behind…to move forward. Why is it so damn hard?"_

I heard the door open and swiveled around to face the visitor. In the split second such an act took, I narrowed down the potential visitors to a few people. One of my guesses turned out to be correct.

"Hey, Atticus." I was hoping to see his sister rather than him, but still, it was nice to see Atticus looking well. I had seen Alexis a few times over the summer, but she had always been in a rush, looking over her shoulder constantly. I assumed Atticus didn't know about our relationship since I hadn't received any of the bog-standard big brother death threats yet. Actually, now that I think of it, he would probably congratulate me instead – the guy was a bit weird when it came to such things.

"Jimbo, just the guy I wanted to see! I dropped by earlier, but you weren't here yet." Atticus appeared easygoing and free-spirited – I think the summer did him a lot of good with regards to recovery. Though his growing habit of referring to me as "Jimbo" was increasingly annoying.

"What's up?"

"Just letting you know that we're throwing a party down by the lake tonight, a last hurrah before the homework and classes start to weigh us down. For me, it's gonna be really hard since I "took a year off" so to speak." Atticus said jovially. I'm surprised he could be so blithe about that one time he got possessed by an ancient cosmic demon and forced to serve at the pleasure of an immortality-seeking madman.

"Uh…yeah. So does that you mean you're considered a sophomore like us then?" I awkwardly asked.

"Yeah, pretty much. It's a bit of a pain, but it'll be nice to graduate alongside my sister." Atticus shrugged.

"Speaking of which, have you seen Alexis?" I asked as innocuously as possible. I moved to take a drink of water from the bottle I brought on the plane with me.

"Huh? Oh yeah, she was down by the lake talking to a new transfer student from America. She's a real cutie!" Atticus said casually.

I stiffened, slowly setting the bottle down. "Oh yeah, I heard something about that. The American Duel Academy, isn't that right?" That had to be Reggie Mackenzie. In my last week at work, Kaiba gave me a heads up that she would be transferring to Central Academy for the 2005-2006 academic term. I wasn't sure if he knew the truth about her and her brother – that they were both acting on behalf of Tragoedia. Of course, I would be keeping a close eye on her regardless of Kaiba's order, but at least now I had an excuse for it in case anyone got suspicious.

"Yeah, it's pretty wild. She's an incredibly strong duelist, too. She picked apart Chazz Princeton in that exhibition match, and I'm told he beat Jaden last December!" Atticus decided to partake in some rudimentary power scaling. Of course, just because Mackenzie beat Chazz once doesn't mean that Jaden couldn't beat her, but she was still dangerous any way you slice it.

"You said they were down by the lake, right? I'd like to meet her. It'd be great to have more strong opponents around!" I said with fake enthusiasm. In reality, I wasn't exactly thrilled about having dangerous threats surrounding me from all sides, as you might imagine.

"Sounds good! I'll go with you. Maybe I can get her number!" Atticus said with the customary goofiness of a teenage horndog.

XxXxxXXxXxXXxxXXXxxXXxxxXXxX

(Jaden Yuki POV)

"Aw, yeah! This is the best way to start off a new school year!"

Jaden was happy as a clam – he had barely gotten a chance to duel all summer. He had gotten his first summer job – a driver for Domino's Pizza (the premier pizzeria of Domino City) shortly after earning his driver's license, and he had picked up many hours there.

When he wasn't working, he would either spend his free time catching up on his favorite superhero comics, or just sleeping. The Hero of Slifer had been sleeping much more soundly ever since the duel with Kagemaru. He had no idea why, but he was no longer plagued by nightmares of that strange voice and its dark promises. It had taken a while, but he was starting to feel like his old self again.

Jaden and his best friend, the diminutive, blue-haired Syrus Truesdale, were just finishing unpacking their luggage when a mysterious challenger knocked on their door.

"As my esteemed senior, I believe you have much to teach me in the ways of battle." He had said. The challenger had a striking appearance. His silver hair seemed messy, but was actually meticulously styled and formed to appear as unruly as it was. He wore a similarly silver suit and tie, perfectly fitted and pressed. Despite him being rather short, the arranged appearance did much to make him seem mature and composed. His eyes were a plain, unremarkable blue, but there was an underlying intensity to them that made it hard to hold eye contact with him.

Syrus narrowed his eyes upon first meeting this new arrival, seeming to recognize him from somewhere. Jaden, on the other hand, was only too happy to jump into battle first and ask questions later.

And so, the two boys stood apart on the coastal shelf under the southern cliffs where the Slifer Red dorm was. Their disks at the ready, both boys were thusly entwined by strings, spun by fate.

"Alright, let's do this thing, freshman! I can't wait to have a fun duel with you!" Jaden said boisterously.

"Me as well." The silver-haired boy replied.

"Awesome! By the way, what did you say your name was?" Jaden often lost sight of such details when dueling was on his mind.

"Ed." The freshman said simply.

"Ok, Ed! The first turn is all yours!" Jaden magnanimously offered.

"Thank you. I'll begin by summoning **Ojama Yellow (0/1000)** in attack mode." Ed summoned the little yellow gremlin, the creature standing with no defense to back him up.

Jaden let out a startled laugh that soon turned bittersweet. "What is it? Did I do something funny?" Ed asked patiently.

"Haha, no…that card just reminds me of a guy I know…knew, I should say." Jaden said. He always felt a little sad when he thought of Chazz. Although he had never been anything other than vicious towards him, Jaden could empathize with the pressure he must feel being under his brothers' thumb. Most of all, Jaden still felt that Chazz could have been a great friend and a powerful ally. At the very least, he could have been more than he was now – a mere attack dog serving on Slade and Jagger's behalf. But now was not the time to think of such things.

"I see." Ed seemed a little bemused, but otherwise betrayed little emotion. "In that case, I'll set a card and end my turn."

Watching from above, Syrus was feeling more and more confused. "He's not going to get very far using cards like that, unless there's something I'm missing."

"No, I think your suspicions are right." To Syrus' surprise, Miss Dorothy from the card had come to watch the game as well, her truck parked by the dorm. "This guy was my first customer when the card shop opened this morning. The new boxes for the school year hadn't come in yet, so we just had some leftover packs of Ancient Sanctuary in stock. He just bought eight of those packs and made a deck out of those. It was like those draft tournaments some card shops put on." She explained, also curious about this odd young man. "He said he just wanted to test his abilities with it."

Syrus scratched his head. "How bizarre…"

"I end my turn with that." Ed said humbly.

Jaden shrugged before starting his turn. "Alright, I summon **Elemental Hero Sparkman (1600/1400)** in attack mode!" the electric hero, clad in his signature blue and gold armor, took the field with a pose. "And without further delay, I think I'm gonna attack that Ojama!" With a weak blast of electricity, Sparkman was still able to completely roast Ojama Yellow.

"I'll throw down a face-down and call it a turn!" Jaden wasn't the most observant person by any means, but something about this seemed strange. _"He doesn't seem to be very experienced at all, but there's a certain intensity to him that I can't ignore. Just how serious is he?"_

Winged Kuriboh appeared by his side, on high alert for some reason. However, Jaden ignored his spirit's discomfort. _"C'mon Kuriboh, I know it's a new face, but he's probably nothing to be scared of."_ Jaden blindly reassured.

Suddenly, a sharp buzzing sound could be heard from Ed's suit pocket. "Whoops! Sorry, I have to take this call!" The seemingly clumsy freshman apologized before answering his cell phone. He stepped a few paces away from Jaden for a bit of privacy. Over the sound of the waves, Jaden could scarcely hear him talk. He was done soon enough though, and their game resumed.

"Man, what kind of guy answers his phone during a duel? How immature!" Syrus was seemingly outraged at this breach of decorum.

"My my, it appears that you've become quite the grown-up over the past year, eh Syrus?" Dorothy gently poked fun.

"Hi, Syrus!" A feminine contralto greeted. Over the hill arrived Erin Reid, Syrus' senior by one year and one of the more powerful female duelists on the island. Over the summer, she had cut her hair, her messy brown bangs now hanging down to chin length. She was wearing her Obelisk Blue uniform, which probably meant that she was just getting out of some official function, as she hardly ever wore the uniform if she didn't have to. Her deep, dark blue eyes were alight with joy, and she seemed to be in ever better shape than before – clearly the summer had been kind to her.

"Erm…umm…hi there, Erin!" Syrus squeaked. "Good summer?"

"It was great!" She gave the blue-haired boy a one-armed hug, causing him to blush heavily. "It sure was busy, what with competitions and all. I spent so much time in the water I think I might still have some between my ears!" She laughed. "And how are you, miss Dorothy?"

"I'm well. I just thought I'd stop by and watch Jaden's first duel of the semester." The owner of the card shop smiled.

"Ha! His first of many, I'm sure." Erin barked. However, her good cheer quickly evaporated when she peered over the hillside to get a better view at Jaden's opponent. "Wha…what the hell? How did Jaden get a chance to duel against Aster Phoenix?!" She exclaimed.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Syrus questioned.

"Look at him, the silver hair and matching suit. There's no doubt about it, that's Aster Phoenix. You know, he's only one of the rising stars in the International Pro Circuit! Did you guys seriously not recognize him?" Erin scoffed.

"Uh, I guess I don't really watch many pro matches, now that I think of it…" Dorothy good-naturedly shrugged.

"I only watch the games my brother's playing in. Other than that, I don't keep up with the Pro Circuit at all." Syrus responded. "Besides, the guy told us his name was Ed for some reason."

Erin gave them both a weird look before cupping her hands around her mouth. "Oi, Jaden! How do you know Aster Phoenix?" She bellowed from above.

"Huh?" Jaden raised his eyebrows, while "Ed" looked genuinely surprised, almost as if he wasn't expecting someone to recognize him despite the fact that he was not wearing any kind of disguise, or even a hat and sunglasses. "Who the hell is Aster Phoenix?"

"You've gotta be kidding me! Am I the only one who keeps up with the pros at all around here?" Erin said with a bemused chuckle. "He's one of the rising stars, well-known for playing Elemental Heroes! Is that seriously not ringing a bell?!"

"Hmm…." Jaden squinted at his opponent, rubbing his chin. "Hey, now that you mention it, I do recognize him! I was just watching one of your games last night, bro! You were making some totally sick plays out there!"

"And you didn't recognize him?" Erin's confusion was beginning to morph into full-on amazement at the Slifer Red's lack of wits.

"Hehe, it's alright." Aster spoke up finally. He clearly didn't anticipate that something like this would happen, but was rolling with it. "I am indeed Aster Phoenix. And thank you for the compliment." He said cordially, somewhat glad to drop the "naïve freshman" façade.

"You're welcome, but why bother with this whole "naïve freshman" façade?" Jaden wondered. "If anything, I would have been more excited to duel you if you were honest with me. And how come you aren't using your real deck?"

Aster sighed before answering. " Well, I was curious to see what you were capable of. You know, your name is already making the rounds in the professional dueling circles. After all, you've got some impressive credentials for someone going into their sophomore year – you even the Kaiser a hard fight during that graduation match. I just wanted to do a little undercover scouting, that's all."

Jaden bought the excuse, mostly. "Huh. That's kinda weird, but whatever. I wish you were more honest with me, but it's no big deal. Can we start this over so you can use your real deck? It's no fun unless both of us are going all-out, don't you agree?" The red hero was hungry for a good fight.

"Uh, I don't have it with me. I forgot it back at home, so I decided to draft a deck from some packs instead." Aster lied. "Besides, a duelist should always see the match to its conclusion, right?"

"I suppose you're right. In that case, it's your turn! Let's see what you've got!" Jaden punched the sky with a boyish grin.

" _Good lord – not the brightest crayon in the deck, is he? Is this boy really the legendary harbinger of darkness that the scriptures warn of?"_ Aster thought in disbelief. _"Could it be that Sartorius is mistaken? Perhaps the Lion of Obelisk is the true threat here on this island. But his predictions have never been wrong before…"_

The two boys saw the game to its end. Although Aster did the very best he could with the mediocre resources he had, Jaden was able to get the best of him in the end.

"Hey, that was a sweet game, bro! You were able to make a lot of a little there." Jaden said with good sportsmanship. "I'm just glad my deck came through for me when I needed it."

"That's an interesting way of putting it. Would you call it a lucky break?" Aster poked.

"Nah, not necessarily. I believe that a duelist can have a bond with their cards, and if they cultivate that bond, then the cards pay you back in a fight. It's a lot more than just luck." Jaden explained with surprising eloquence. "It's kinda funny though – I have a buddy who believes that luck is the main factor in a duel. Of course, he plays a coin flip deck, so it's probably true in his case."

"Hmm. Well, I agree with you that dueling isn't about luck. In fact, I believe there is very little in life that can be attributed to luck. Rather, it is by the will of god, fate, or whatever you wish to call it that guides our hands." Aster intoned.

"Nah, I don't agree with that at all. Life and games are exciting because we don't know what's gonna happen next! Anybody can win, as long as they try hard enough!" Jaden countered, his tone still decidedly casual.

Aster's eyes narrowed for a moment, but soon enough his features became neutral once more. "It certainly is an interesting debate, but I fear I have to get going soon. Thank you for the match, _senpai_." The honorific was clearly intended to be mocking.

"Haha, well, have a good trip man! If you're ever in this neck of the woods again, I'd love to fight against your real deck someday!" Jaden waved.

 _"We both play heroes, but that is where our similarities end. This man is no threat to anyone, much less the Lord of Light. There must have been some mistake…"_ Aster frowned as he turned his back on the Slifer Red.

As he ascended the hill, Aster walked by Syrus, Erin, and Dorothy. "Thank you for earlier, miss Dorothy. Your card shop is well run." The pro said politely.

"Gosh, thank you, mister Phoenix! The pleasure was ours!" Miss Dorothy seemed a bit smitten by the young gentleman. Erin, however, was suspicious – the surfer was always rather fond of solving mysteries.

"Aster Phoenix…if you don't mind me asking, I'm still not clear as to why you decided to duel Jaden. After all, he's only a Slifer Red, and there are a few duelists on the island with higher ranks on the written or practical exams." She prodded.

He smiled blandly. "Like you, for instance?"

She grinned sharkishly, her blue eyes glimmering. "Exactly."

He laughed politely. "Well, you have the spirit of a fighter, at least. But I did not come here for merely the prospect of a challenging fight. I am motivated by a higher calling."

Syrus raised an eyebrow. "And what kind of calling is that?"

Aster seemed a man possessed. "In life, unrelated to one's grades or social standing as determined by man, there are some people who, by nature, are the keys that set destiny in motion. They are the true elite, as dictated by the golden rule of the universe!"

At the confused look they sent him, Aster continued, "Who are these keys? What are we destined for? That's what I want to know!"

"Did this duel help you find that answer?" Erin pressed.

He smirked. "I don't know yet. But in time, God will show me the truth."

XxXXxXxXxXxxXxXXxxXXXxXXxxXXXxxx

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

Atticus was right – both Alexis and Reggie Mackenzie were standing by the lake, in friendly conversation.

Mackenzie was much taller than Alexis, as well as much more…well-equipped. Different from Alexis' long, dirty blonde hair, Mackenzie's reached the nape of her neck, and was the hue of beaten gold. She was an absolute stunner, no doubt about it. Of course, the fact she was in league with an ancient demon made her rather less attractive in my eyes. She was dressed in a casual t-shirt and shorts. Apparently she hadn't received her Obelisk Blue uniform yet.

They noticed us approaching. "Oh, nice! Mackenzie, this is my brother, Atticus Rhodes, and Jamie Lancaster, a good friend of mine." Alexis introduced. She already seemed to be getting along with Mackenzie. This could make things more complicated…

I tried to wipe the annoyance and suspicion off my face. Another enemy. Extending my hand, I said "Uh, hi there-" before Atticus swooped in.

"My lady, welcome to the beautiful academy island! Please, allow me, the great and very sexy Atticus Rhodes show you around! Can I take your bags?" The very suave and not at all thirsty third year offered.

"Thank you, but my bags have already been taken care of." Mackenzie gestured around, and Atticus noticed for the first time that she didn't actually have any bags. "And your sister showed me around earlier today. She's been a great help."

"I taught her everything she knows!" Atticus replied instantly. "Perhaps we could all get to know each other over a cup of coffee. The Blue-Eyes Café has great deals going on for the first week of school."

"Erm, maybe some other time." Mackenzie smoothly deflected. "Actually, I was about to have a little practice duel with miss Rhodes. I hear she is one of the finest duelists in this school, behind mister Yuki and yourself, mister Lancaster." She said politely.

"Hey, thanks." I said wearily.

"Well, it is the truth. In fact, I believe we have both defeated Chazz Princeton, so we have that in common as well. Sadly, I doubt it did much to deflate his ego. He was a rather arrogant boy." She said in a way that was supposed to be endearing.

"He's many things, but arrogance may well be his defining quality." I said succinctly. Never mind that I could be an arrogant bastard myself. In this world, it seems to come with the package of being good at this trading card game. "Your duel against him was just incredible."

"Thank you, that's very sweet. You know, I wouldn't mind going a few rounds with you sometime either. Seeing as we're both the number ones at our respective schools." She said with added charm, leaning towards me slightly. Alexis was beginning to look…displeased.

Something tells me that when we fight, it's not gonna be some practice match. I'd rather not kill her, if it could be avoided. She was redeemed in the manga, after all. I believe she also ended up with Atticus – that certainly didn't seem to be in the cards right now, but who knows what the future holds now?

"I'm sure we will at some point. But I wouldn't want to interrupt. You guys go ahead." I said with as much friendliness as I could muster. Mackenzie shrugged, but accepted this answer.

"Alright. Let's do this!" Alexis activated her duel disk, looking fired up and ready to go.

"Indeed. Best of luck!" Mackenzie said with good cheer. Atticus and I sat on a grassy slope. He had a dopey, lovestruck look on his face while my expression was intensely analytical. I wondered if Mackenzie would be forced to use the full extent of her deck's power in this match. If so, this could be a very helpful duel to observe. Alexis was no slouch herself, having defeated two of the shadow riders on her own – maybe she could pull out a victory.

After a round of roshambo, Alexis got the first turn. "I can tell you have a lot of drive." Mackenzie commented. "I like that in a duelist!"

"Thank you." Alexis said. "I hope this duel will give you a more complete demonstration of that. I'll start by setting a monster and a face-down." Alexis began with a cautious play.

"My turn. I'll start by casting the spell **Cards from the Sky**. By banishing a Light Fairy from my hand, I can draw two cards. However, I cannot special summon or battle on this turn." It was a steep cost for two cards, but she didn't seem to mind. Perhaps one of her cards can be useful from the banished zone.

"Then, I'll play the field spell **Sanctuary in the Sky**." In a blast of astral energy, we found ourselves standing on clouds, a wild blue sky above us as ivory structures rose from nothingness…it was a beautiful illusion. The holograms emitted from the duel disk were so detailed, I was beginning to grow quite fond of field spells.

"Next, I'll play **Nova Summoner (1400/800)** in attack mode." A small, bizarre-looking fairy took the field, its body orange in hue and shaped like a ring. "Then, I'll set a face-down card and end my turn."

Alexis knew what the card did – it was a searcher, able to summon a fairy monster from the deck. What's more, its power would be augmented with Sanctuary in the Sky on the field. But there was little choice but to go on the offensive.

"I'll start by playing the spell card **Pre-Preparation of Rites**! This lets me add a ritual spell from my deck to my hand, and then I can also add the ritual monster that spell summons!"

"Hmm, I suppose she'll be going into a Cyber Angel summon." I speculated.

Atticus chuckled and shook his head. "Maybe, maybe not. Alexis has been practicing hard over the summer, and she's picked up a few new tricks."

Hazel eyes gleamed as Alexis raised the card in her hand. "I cast the ritual spell **Dawn of the Herald**!" Rainbow light shimmered around her body, causing her hair to float upwards. "By offering the level six Cyber Angel Benten in my hand as a sacrifice, I can ritual summon **Herald of Perfection (1800/2800)**!"

From the uppermost spire of the sanctuary descended a mechanical cherubim, oblong, yet ultimately humanoid in body shape. A large, perforated globe made up its head, with rainbow colors shooting out of its holes. A bizarre creature to be sure, but powerful, nonetheless.

Well, that's something! I wonder what made Alexis add this card to her deck. Not that I'm complaining, it's dead useful. "Wow, she used a ritual monster to summon another ritual monster!"

"And the Cyber Angels all have effects when they're sacrificed." Atticus finished. "Since Cyber Angel Benten was the tribute, the Herald's attack points are increased by one thousand." Sure enough, the counter went up to 2800. Mackenzie was unperturbed by this new arrival, however.

Alexis calmly looked over the rest of the cards in her hand. "Alright, now I'll activate Dawn of the Herald's graveyard effect. By banishing it, I can add the Cyber Angel Benten that was used for the ritual offering back to my hand."

"Now, I'll attack!" Herald of Perfection formed a shining energy ball in-between its oddly shaped hands, shaping it for a moment before firing it at the Nova Summoner. The lesser fairy was effortlessly disintegrated by the blast, though the Sanctuary prevented any life point damage from being done. **(Alexis 4000/Mackenzie 4000)**

"Very well. I activate Nova Summoner's effect. When it's destroyed, I can special summon a fairy with 1500 or less attack points from my deck." The American explained. As she spoke, heavenly energy was beginning to take the form of a monster in front of her.

"Not quite. By sending a fairy type monster from my hand to my graveyard, Herald of Perfection can negate that effect! Go, angelic seal!" A runic circle formed around Mackenzie's field, locking down the summon and scattering the astral energy like dust flecks in the sunlight.

"Ah, that's why she recurred the Cyber Angel Benten." Atticus voiced. I silently nodded. I still couldn't fathom the compulsion these guys had towards commentating every play of the game.

"That ends my turn." Alexis seemed more confident now, which was nice to see. I couldn't help but feel as though old Reg' had something up her sleeve.

"Hmm. I'll set another card before summoning **Minerva, Scholar of the Sky (1700/400)**." The next creature was another strange machine angel – Alexis and Mackenzie's cards had a very similar aesthetic, now that I saw them side by side. Constructs of man taking the shape of transcendent beings. This one had a steel "wizard's hat" on while surrounded by a green halo that also seemed to serve as a flotation device.

"That will end my turn."

Playing a weaker monster in the face of Alexis' herald seemed to indicate a trap, although that was obvious anyways since Mackenzie was playing Counter Fairies, a deck reliant on counter traps.

Alexis realized this too. The best thing to do was to attack. Making extra moves would only provide her opponent with a chance to activate a counter trap. "I flip summon my set monster, **Cyber Gymnast (800/1800)**." A beautiful android with blonde hair and a violet bodysuit flipped in the air before landing gracefully.

"Alright, I'll launch an attack with Herald of Perfection!" The bizarre angel shot a volley of multicolored energy blasts down at Mackenzie's monster. The attack went through successfully again, to my surprise. "Now, I'll attack directly with Cyber Gymnast!"

The cyber girl twirled in the air before landing a spinning kick on Mackenzie. Alexis finally landed a damaging blow, giving her the life point advantage. **(Alexis 4000/Mackenzie 3200)**

"Yes! I made it through!" Alexis took a moment for some preemptive celebration. "Maybe the face-downs are bluffs after all."

"Perhaps…perhaps not." Mackenzie never lost her doll-like, blank expression. It was a good trick – a poker face that was tough to crack. Of course, that's assuming it was intentional and not the byproduct of some fucked up shadow magic related shit. Hopefully Alexis didn't let it throw off her game.

"First, I'll use the quick-play spell **Celestial Transformation**. This lets me special summon a fairy from my hand, although its attack is halved. It's also destroyed during the end phase."

"Hmm, that doesn't sound very useful." Alexis thought about negating the effect, but ultimately decided against it. She only had one fairy left in her hand to discard, so that negation had to count.

"Oh, but it is, when I summon **Gellenduo (1700 (950 after halving)/0)** " Twin sprites, pink and green in color, floated down to the field like daffodils. Halos encircled them, like all of Mackenzie's monsters thus far.

"They may not look threatening, but they have a special power. They can serve as two tributes for a fairy monster!" Just as soon as they appeared, the duo vanished into light.

"By offering them as a sacrifice, I can tribute summon the legendary planet, master of the circle and the cross, the second world from the sun, **Splendid Venus (2800/2400)**!"

The golden seraphim dappled the landscape in a harsh, hot glow, its four wings sending a gale across Alexis' field. Splendid Venus was enormous, easily towering over the Herald of Perfection. It was as tall as the tallest towers of the Sanctuary in the Sky.

I had seen this one in action when reviewing the footage of Mackenzie's fight against Chazz, but to see it person was something else. This monster's sheer aura rivaled that of the Sacred Beasts! And unlike those cards, this one was actually rather useful in a duel!

Alexis, to her credit, stood her ground firmly, betraying no fear. "So, this is the monster that defeated Chazz…that's alright, I knew this was gonna be tough from the start!"

"Ah, that's the spirit!" Mackenzie seemed genuine. "That is how a warrior should respond to a challenge. The world of dueling is wonderful, with treasures to satiate desires subtle and gross. But it is not for the timid, nor the weak." In that moment, the blankness fell away to reveal passion, only for the doll to reconstruct itself as quickly as it fell apart.

"Uhh…thank you?" Clearly Alexis was somewhat befuddled by the suddenly grandiose speech. In fairness, so was I, and something tells me Atticus wasn't really paying attention to Mackenzie's words as he was her body.

"Oh, sorry. I appear to have gotten a bit carried away. Allow me to continue. I will attack your Cyber Gymnast with Venus' Holy Light!" The effect of Splendid Venus meant that non-fairies had their attack reduced by 500. This meant that Cyber Gymnast, a warrior, had only 300 attack points to work with. Alexis was blown back by the force of the attack, unexpected in its ferocity. **(Alexis 1500/Mackenzie 3200)**

Atticus and I had been reclining on the grass before, but at the sight of Alexis flying back, both of us instantly jumped to our feet. "Sis, are you alright?!" Atticus cried protectively.

"She's fine, goofball, she's dealt with worse than this." Namely, during her duel against you. Or rather, the demon controlling you. Still, that was a harsh thing to say, and I kinda felt bad for it. "Yeah, I suppose." Atticus grumbled.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine…I think I just lost my footing for a second there." Alexis looked a bit shaken up, but was otherwise good to go. "Let's keep going! It'll take more than that to slow me down!"

"Good, now this is a battle I can enjoy. I end my turn."

Alexis was normally of cool temperament in battle, but I could see she was getting a bit fired up by this fearsome challenge. She snapped the next card off her deck. If I were her, I would try and ritual summon something and try to swing over that Venus. Or maybe try and curl up the Herald and defend for a while. Due to the boost from Cyber Angel Benten, Herald of Perfection had 3800 defense points. It all depended on what sort of counter traps Mackenzie had. And to make matters worse, Venus' effect meant that none of her cards could be negated.

"Let's see…I'll turn Herald of Perfection to defense mode. Then, I'll summon **Cyber Tutu (1000 (500 after Venus effect)/800)** in attack mode!" A lithe, petite ballerina dancer skated onto the field, smiling even in the face of the legendary planet.

"Since your monster has higher attack points that Cyber Tutu, she gets to attack you directly!" The ballerina slipped by the golden angel and landed a swift pirouette kick to Mackenzie's torso. **(Alexis 1500/Makenzie 2700)**

"Pff, a flea bite." Mackenzie taunted. I subconsciously began chewing my nails, wondering if Alexis had a face-down that would protect her exposed Cyber Tutu. I shouldn't really have a reason to be worried because for all intents and purposes this was just a friendly practice match, but still…I did not trust Mackenzie in any respect.

"My go." Mackenzie barely glanced at her next draw. "I admire you wanting to inflict some damage, but you should have stayed on defense."

"No way. That would have given you all the time in the world to plan a decisive blow. This way, I can at least apply a little pressure." Alexis countered.

"I guess we'll see if it works out for you. Splendid Venus, attack the Cyber Tutu with Holy Light Beam!" Brandishing a pale scepter, the four-winged angel let loose a concentrated laser at Alexis' cyber girl.

"Ha! Got you! Reverse card open, **Mirror Force**!" Alexis called out. Atticus cheered and I grinned as a wall of energy threatened to reflect Mackenzie's strike right back at her.

Mackenzie closed her eyes for a moment and nodded. "Not this time. I respond with my face-down counter trap, **Divine Punishment**." Red peals of lightning shattered the Mirror Force's energy wall. "This lets me negate the activation of a spell or trap while Sanctuary in the Sky is on the field, letting my attack go through!"

The laser struck true, striking down Alexis' monster and finishing up the game. **(Alexis 0/Mackenzie 2700)**

Alexis grit her teeth and punched the ground. "Fuck!" She cursed in rather uncharacteristic fashion. "Maybe I should have stayed in defense."

In a moment though, she regained her composure and shook hands with Mackenzie, who looked perfectly calm and unruffled. "Thanks for the match. I still have a lot to learn…"

"You'll get there. I can clearly see you have some skill, and that attitude will get you far. Besides, this was only one game. Fortune has its role to play in all of this as well." Mackenzie consoled.

"Mark my words, I'll improve." Alexis vowed.

"Indeed." Mackenzie smiled. "Oh, by the way, I have a quick question. This may sound rather odd, but do you know of any cards with spirits living in them?"

I glared at Mackenzie, catching her eye for a moment. Alexis feigned confusion. "Spirits? What do you mean?"

"I see…" The American turned around. "Sorry, that was a strange thing to say…just forget about it." Plastering on a smile, she waved at the three of us. "It was very nice to meet you all! I'm sure we'll see each other around. We'll have to face off sometime, mister Lancaster."

"Count on it." I said stolidly.

With that, she went off in the direction of the Slifer Red dorm. I wondered what she would want there, but Alexis walking over interrupted my thought.

"God, she picked me apart, and with that strange calm look on her face the whole time!" Alexis mused. "I wish I could have put up a better fight than that."

"It's alright, that's just the way it goes sometimes with these type of games. Besides, we knew she was gonna be strong." I tried to reassure. I wanted to reach out and touch her shoulder, but with Atticus there I held back.

"That's right, sis! There's always gonna be challenges and stumbles in life. But if we pick ourselves up and try again, we can become stronger!" Atticus, the cheesy bastard, chimed in. "I think this Mackenzie could be a great friend in time!"

"I think you're interested in more than friendship, bro." Alexis giggled.

"No way! Am I really so transparent?!" Atticus bewailed. For a guy with a legion of fangirls on the island, he was thirstier than hell for Mackenzie. Grass is greener as they say, or should I say That Grass Looks Greener?

"Well, I'm gonna hit the hot springs. I'll need to unwind a bit before classes start. I mean, being possessed by a demon is one thing, but I'm taking Calculus 1 this semester! That's way worse!" Atticus joked. Have I mentioned he's really glib about the whole being possessed by a demon thing?

"Haha, maybe. See ya later, bro." Alexis waved, and I smiled and did the same.

As soon as he left, Alexis leaned down and snuck a quick kiss from me. "Finally, I thought we'd never get a moment alone. I wish I could have saw you more this summer, Jamie."

"Yeah, me too. It always feels like there's never enough time when it comes to our favorite things in life." I grinned.

"Good lord, did my brother teach you that line? I see I'm still taller than you, by the way." She laughed. We both gazed over the lake. "He really hasn't changed much. I'm just glad he's back. This year is going to be better."

"It will be." I nodded back. "By the way, good looking out back there about the whole "Spirits" thing."

"Yeah…that Mackenzie is someone to watch out for. I don't trust anything to do with duel spirits. And I don't want anything to do with them either." Alexis frowned. "Jasmine told me about what happened at that party. Whoever this Yubel is, they're clearly no friend of ours."

Jasmine had disseminated the name of Yubel to everyone in our friend group. I wasn't sure if Jaden had heard about that yet though. Even the spirit's name might cause some kind of reaction in him. From what I had heard though, he's been doing a lot better, although his memories of his past life were still suppressed to my knowledge.

"I wonder if Mackenzie has anything to do with this Yubel." I wondered falsely. I knew the two were unrelated, but obviously I wasn't supposed to know that.

"Who knows. We'll have to keep an eye on her. Man, I wish things could be simple. But like Atticus said, these challenges will make us stronger." Alexis smiled confidently.

"Right." I agreed, even as worry churned in my mind.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. Also, a merry Christmas and a happy holidays to all!**

 **In this chapter, we have the introduction of Aster Phoenix, a character I am excited to write as time goes on. He definitely has a lot of potential and I hope you guys enjoy my spin on him as the story moves forward. I decided not to write out his duel with Jaden since it was not different than canon in any significant respect other than what was shown in the chapter.**

 **To me, that whole plot of having Aster be "disguised" as a newbie freshman in his introductory episode didn't really make sense. Even if Jaden didn't know who he was, it seems highly unlikely that Alexis, Chazz (in canon), Dorothy, or Syrus would not recognize one of the top stars in professional dueling. Especially since Syrus' brother is in the pro league, so you would think Syrus would at least be fairly knowledgeable about the pros. Also, the plot had no payoff since they figured who he was by the end of the episode anyways. Sorry for the rant, but that episode was a bit odd lol.**

 **To juxtapose with that we have Mackenzie on the island as well. She will be a third faction of sorts in the upcoming fight between the heroes and the Society of Light. Her actions and motivations are gonna be a bit of a wild card, to be sure. Alexis is a stronger duelist here than she is in canon, but Mackenzie was able to lock her down pretty fast. In this story and in canon, I would generally consider Alexis and Chazz to be around the same level from a power scaling perspective, although again it is a card game so the idea of power scaling is a bit sketch.**

 **Apart from that, we have Jamie trying to create a new club on campus. What kind of club will this be? And who is the new head of Obelisk Blue? More on that in the next chapter. Have a blessed holiday!**


	37. The Lion of Obelisk

Chapter 37: The Lion of Obelisk

(Aster Phoenix POV)

"Aster, have you done as I asked?" A calm, tepid voice echoed.

"Yeah…I dueled the kid, using a deck made from some random packs." The silver-haired pro duelist was in a strange room, with lights so bright no shadow could be seen. He stood across a table from a hooded man, who gazed upon a deck of tarot cards. This man was seated, while Aster stood at full attention, almost as if he was under questioning.

"I see. And did those cards lead you to victory?"

"No. Jaden defeated me." The words left a sour taste in Aster Phoenix's mouth, and he only could think of one way to rectify it. He felt compelled to duel Jaden again, this time wielding his full power. There was no way that lackadaisical Slifer Red would be able to touch him then!

"I can sense your frustration. It is only natural, in our limited understanding, to question the path God has laid out for us." The seated man removed his hood, revealing a long tumble of dark blue hair, along with piercing, perpetually wide blue eyes. His skin was unnaturally sallow and pale. His face was thin, with bladelike cheekbones. His hands, with their unusually sharp and long nails, drew a card from the deck.

"Sartorius, the scriptures speak of a false king with shining golden eyes. Clad in black aura, he is to be master of the sinful black sheep and ruler of all duel spirits. The boy I dueled worked at a Domino's Pizza over the summer and called me a "chill dude". Furthermore, he has brown eyes, not gold." Aster protested.

Sartorius looked at the tarot card in his hand for a moment before setting it face-down on the table. "Aster, the scriptures also say that the devil would only come in disguise. His very essence is a deception. You see, it suits the king of darkness to appear as a simple-minded schoolboy, but his energy reveals the truth. Just below the surface is an infinite blackness, an abyssal void that is ageless and formless. That same energy has existed for millions and millions of years – the boy known as Jaden Yuki is merely a vessel for it."

"But surely if he were the true king of darkness, he would be undefeated in battle. Jaden Yuki has been defeated by the Kaiser and the Lion. Even Chazz Princeton has taken a game from him. And I am certain I could defeat him if I gave it my all." Aster countered. He and Sartorius would often have discussions like this, even though they were friends. They never took it personally – both were devoted to seeking God's truth.

"Another deception, Aster. These rivals are ultimately nothing but tools help the deceiver reach his full potential. Every loss has made Jaden Yuki a better duelist – he has never suffered any true setback. That is the true meaning of undefeated." Sartorius patiently explained.

Aster didn't find that explanation very satisfying, but at the end of the day, he trusted Sartorius. He had always been there for Aster, ever since the day his parents had been murdered. He had taken him in, and shown him the Light. Aster would always be grateful for that.

Taking that into account, the silver-haired boy relented. "Very well. Say that Jaden Yuki is the true king of darkness. What is to be done about him? He has many allies on the island."

"Have faith, my friend. The way will be shown to us in due time. For now, you should focus on your upcoming pro circuit matches." Sartorius put away the tarot deck and rose, looking Aster in the eye.

"Hey, gotta pay the bills somehow, right?" Aster said casually. "I have a match tomorrow night, against some d-lister. But after that, I have a game against Zane Truesdale, the Kaiser himself. That should be a good fight."

Sartorius nodded. "He will be a fine benchmark for you to compare yourself to. He has been undefeated in the pro league thus far. To defeat him would be a great achievement."

"Yeah…I'm gonna fly out to Tokyo tonight." Aster said, his eyes suddenly hardening. "For another hunt."

Sartorius considered that solemnly. "Godspeed, Aster."

 _"Jaden Yuki, my equal…I refuse to believe it! He's never been through what I have. He has no idea what it takes to be a real hero!"_ Aster thought with mounting frustration as he left the room.

XxXxxxXXXxxxxxxxxXX

(Speaking of whom…)

"Sweetness! They're serving my favorite meal today!" Jaden cheered. "Nothing like some fried shrimp, eh professor Drummond?"

"Jaden, we have fried shrimp every other day around here, it's either that or anchovies." Syrus interjected. The two of them were sitting with the rest of the Slifer Red population, the student body seated along the walls in rickety wooden tables. Their asses were planted on hard, uncomfortable barstools, and in front of them was a plate of cold fried shrimp, plain white rice, and hard, raw carrot sticks. The plate was accompanied by a glass of tepid water to wash the shit down with.

"I can't believe I still have to be head of this shithole for another year…it was supposed to be a temporary arrangement!" Vector Drummond sat at the "head table", which happened to be a stainless steel butchering table with folding legs. His shirt was un-tucked, his tie was askew, and he was drinking whiskey straight from the flask. He also didn't seem to mind cursing in front of the high school aged students. Lazily, Drummond was thumbing through a newspaper, briefly pausing at an advertisement for a magic show – "Famous showman Kaito Kid and Broadway Dancer Tea Gardner collaborate on global tour!" Oh, how he wished he was there now, rather than here.

"C'mon, teach, it can't be that bad! You get to see us all the time, right?" Jaden laughed, seemingly unaware of his teacher's encroaching despair.

"I guess." Drummond did like Jaden, despite the fact that the boy was a rather poor student in the classroom. His relentlessly positive and upbeat attitude, along with his prodigious talent at dueling, was somewhat endearing to the old at heart history professor. Still, that didn't mean he liked living in a run-down toolshed and dealing with the least motivated section of the student body.

"If you don't mind me asking, professor Drummond, how did you get stuck as the head of Slifer Red? I thought that you were supposed to become the head of Obelisk Blue this year." Syrus asked as he nibbled on his pathetic little carrot sticks.

"Well Syrus, I hate to say it but it looks like the only way they could find a new hire after Banner's mysterious disappearance last year was if they promised headship of Obelisk Blue as part of the deal. Besides, I'm really in no position to negotiate with anyone. Without this job, I'm back to teaching public school again." The very idea was intolerable.

Syrus sighed – he found it hard to believe that a guy like professor Drummond was really able to beat Jamie in a duel, but he found it even harder to believe that Jamie would lie about losing to him. "So who did they hire? They'd have to fill both the Chemistry position and the Obelisk Blue head position, not to mention they'd have to be a duelist on at least Crowler's level." Syrus said as Jaden stole the remaining shrimp from his plate while he wasn't looking.

Drummond shrugged. "Yeah, I don't know how Kaiba found her, but I guess she's pretty much the whole package. Her name is…"

XxXxXxxXxXXXxxxXXxXXX

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

"…Midori Hibiki. I'll be your new head of house. I'll also be teaching a variety of classes here at the academy, including the freshman chemistry classes, 200 and 300 level dueling theory, and advanced attack point quantum mechanics. I hope we can all get along!"

The new head of my house was a familiar face since I read the manga. Miss Hibiki was a raven-haired woman whose eyes were an unusual shade of lilac. She was rather short, a little shorter than myself even. But she had an undeniably mature and experienced air about her that commanded a certain level of attention, even from the entitled brats that made up Obelisk Blue. She wore a simple, modest blue overcoat with jeans and boots. Unlike professor Fontaine, Hibiki was rather utilitarian when it came to fashion.

"So, it appears our head of house is a woman…" A sophomore muttered to one of his buddies behind me.

"She wears less makeup than Crowler at least. Much easier on the eyes as well." Another one jeered.

"I wonder what her deal is. Is she the same person as the Midori Hibiki from the manga? In that case, she would probably know Jaden. That would also mean her brother Koyo exists in this timeline as well." It was not that hard to get over the initial shock of seeing her – I was growing used to the fact that elements from both the anime and the manga would be present in this new, third timeline.

"I wonder how strong she is." Erin whispered, seated on my right. All of us, males and females, were gathered in the main atrium for the opening feast. The food was truly excellent, as always. I was enjoying a medium rare prime rib with roasted broccoli and carrots, along with a cup of gelato for dessert. It was hard to fathom at that moment why guys like Jaden and Bastion choose to stay in their dorms.

But putting the food aside (or rather, in my mouth), Erin and I were on the same page. "Yeah, that's a good question." I recalled that she played Darklords in the manga. Without some of the more modern support cards, that deck was powerful, but inconsistent. With Yubel's army using Exceed monsters, I could no longer be sure of what cards people had and what they didn't.

The student body was split up into smaller round tables – Alexis, Atticus, Erin and I were seated at one in the center of the room. "Well, perhaps she would agree to a practice match outside of class." Alexis posited. As one might expect, Atticus was checking out the new teacher with the calculated precision of an experienced pervert.

"Yeah, hopefully she won't be as hard to convince as Drummond." And hopefully the match would have a different result than my second game against Drummond as well.

"Speaking of hard to convince, good luck with your club, Jamie! Hopefully people show up for it." Alexis wished well. "We'll be there for sure." Atticus and Erin nodded.

"I think a lot will show up. I posted a real eye-catcher on the bulletin board right before this." I was really banking on a certain reaction from my fellow students. Here's hoping!

"It's tomorrow at six, right?" Erin asked.

I nodded. "Bring your cards."

"Aside from minding your studies, I highly encourage you all to get involved in the various extracurricular activities here on campus. There are intramural athletics, student government, the student newspaper, art clubs…something for everyone!" Miss Hibiki had been talking the whole time. "I understand that one of our own, mister Lancaster, has recently started a new club, although I am not sure what they do exactly. All necessary information will be on the bulletin board in the commons." She said with the fresh vigor of a teacher in August.

At the mention of my name, I felt a majority of the Obelisk Blues look at me, some with fondness, most with neutrality, and a few with resentment. Tomorrow should be interesting.

XxXxxxXXxxxxXXXXxxxXXX

Well, I was partially right. The first day of classes was not really that interesting. I understood the necessity of it, but considering this was my second go around through high school, I knew the drill quite well by now. More than anything else, I couldn't wait until the evening rolled around. I went through the motions in class and during my workout, until it was finally time.

Atticus, Alexis, and Erin were the first people there. I sat on the large stairwell in the atrium connecting the male and female wings of Obelisk Blue. Until about 6:30, more and more people filtered in in groups of three and four, everybody talking until a din of white noise arose. This definitely wasn't the entirety of my house. It was probably around seventy-percent, which was good turnout. Now, the rest lies in the execution. Eventually, the idle conversation died down and they began to look upon me with questioning expressions. I stood a few feet above them on the staircase, arms behind my back.

"Alright, Lancaster, what's this about?" Some rando asked.

I summoned everything that I had learned from Kaiba, evil bastard that he is, over the summer.

"Obelisk the Tormentor, despite its name, is a manifestation of the Geb, god of the earth, father of serpents, grower of crops, and wreaker of earthquakes. In its incarnation in Duel Monsters, it is also known as the giant soldier of the royal palace, an earthly being whose strength defended the bloodline of the pharaohs." I intoned, pausing before dropping the hammer. They looked bored, or impatient.

"Look around you – do you truly believe yourselves worthy of representing such a being?"

That got their attention. Instantly, mutinous mutterings broke out like a fever, and a thousand glares of resentment turned my way. "How dare you say that?!" "Who are you to call us weak?" "Arrogant, privileged bastard…" They muttered.

"Look at you! This house was meant to symbolize the super elites of our class, the next legends of a forthcoming era. And yet, again and again, Ra Yellows and Slifer Reds steal wins off of you. I know of duelists in those dorms that could beat every single one of you without breaking a sweat! Doesn't that make you angry?! Because it makes me FUCKING PISSED!" I screamed the last part, my voice echoing off the high walls.

"Look at you! Look at the potential in this room! And look how it is squandered. Most of the guys in this room got into Obelisk Blue because of your connections, because of how rich your parents are. A few got in through a promotion like me, those with at least some shred of ambition." I didn't even mention the girls, because I didn't need to. They all knew that they got in on a categorical basis. I don't need to tell them what they already know – that there was never any merit involved in the claiming of their position.

"So, you are called elites, despite the fact that you have never seized real power nor have you wielded it. You act like elites despite the fact that Slifers and Ras can and do beat your fucking asses on a regular basis. Despite the fact that your grades are lesser, your dueling skills are lesser, that you are lesser, you act like elites."

At this point, the crowd was nearly ready to tear me to pieces. Only Alexis, Erin, and Atticus remained calm, as they both knew what I was going to say beforehand and that they were the exceptions to an otherwise ironclad rule of mediocrity around here.

"The Kaiser has gone on to greater things. He was a great friend of mine, though I have only known him a year." I've known him a sense longer than that, but as a person, not some children's cartoon character…only a year. He is an incredible fighter and a good man, but he was too complacent with you. He soared to great heights so quickly that he had no problem leaving you all behind. Similarly, you all had no problem sublimating yourselves to him, taking his superiority as gospel."

I activated my duel disk. "No more. The malaise that has taken root in this house will be cleansed. This club is for those who want to become true duelists. During our meetings, we will duel each other, honing our skills and decision making through relentless, intense battles. That is how we will get better. Furthermore, we will help each other study and prepare for our classes, and we're going to ace that shit. I don't care if the class is bullshit, we're still acing it. We're gonna improve together and become the legends we were always meant to be! Now who's with me!?"

"Fuck you, Lancaster!" A female voice rose above the angry din. "I didn't come here to be lectured about how weak I am. And let me guess, you're going to be the leader of this club?! Why the fuck should I listen to anything you have to say? Just because you were buttbuddies with the Kaiser doesn't mean you're better than us!"

A girl emerged from the front of the crowd. Her name was Seika Kohinata, a third-year well-known for playing Reptile monsters. She had short, thick black hair and hazel eyes a shade lighter than Alexis'. She wore sheer black tights with the Obelisk Blue girls uniform, as well as a baleful glare directed towards me.

I felt like such a douchebag at this moment – probably because I was. But then I thought of the Society of Light. Or Yubel's army, which was now outfitted with Exceed monsters. There were so many threats out there in the cosmos. I realized that if I truly cared about doing the right thing, about saving lives, then that meant a lifelong war against the Light of Destruction, among other things. What was I supposed to do, let them be weak? This is not a game, no matter how much it appeared to be. They must be stronger, because life isn't going to get easier. It never gets easier.

"Whoever is the strongest will be leader. That's all. This club will have five positions, for the top five strongest duelists in Obelisk Blue. We can decide that here and now, if you'd like." I answered her.

"Very well, then. I'll show you that your brand of _leadership_ isn't required!" She turned on her own duel disk. The crowd slowly began to encircle us, and just as the fight was about to begin, someone else stepped into the ring.

"You might want a bit of help with this one, Seika." To my surprise, as well as the surprise of many others, this new warrior was none other than Harrington Rosewood. He wore the version of the blue uniform with the flowing, showy, and cumbersome coattails, with rather suited him. That reminds me, I should probably turn in my two-weeks notice at Rosewood Sporting Goods. I didn't need the money anymore, nor did I enjoy being patronized by him every day.

"I've worked with Lancaster, and we've talked about card strategy." That is true, but we never spoke about anything related to my own strategies. "I think it's time to remind him who's really in charge around here."

Seika looked a bit befuddled at his unclear offer. "What do you mean, Harrington? That we team up? I'm not sure that's fair."

"This is most unlike you, Harry. I didn't expect you'd come here, in all honesty." After all, this had little to do with tennis. It was especially odd that he would jump to Seika's aid. I didn't recall the two of them being friends. Unless he was trying to endear himself to her…didn't someone ever let him know that the whole "White-Knighting" tactic never works? Then again, his dad makes enough money to the point where it might not matter. I shouldn't jump to conclusions, though.

"Well, a two on one is no problem by me. I wouldn't get too hung up on it, Seika. I wouldn't mind facing you again once you decide to join this club." I offered.

"Making a lot of assumptions, Lancaster. Working at KaibaCorp must have given you a bit of an ego boost. You are not worthy to be placed next to the Kaiser. He was sweet, kind, noble, and handsome."

"Well, I'm one of those things." I said just to tweak her.

"So," Seika continued. "I don't mind teaming up if it means knocking you down a peg." Turning to Harry, she nodded. "Let's do this, Rosewood!"

"Sounds good! I think we'll work really well together." Harry practically wiggled his eyebrows. I guess he's finally moved on from Alexis, if nothing else. He gave me a vicious smirk. "Nothing personal, Lancaster!"

The crowd began to get hyped up, rooting almost unanimously for Seika and Harry's tag team. Erin pushed through the mass of bloodlusted onlookers with a look of concern on her face. "Are you sure about this, Jamie? One of us can team with you if you'd like."

I really did appreciate the offer – Erin was a sweet girl, and at times like these I wish the distance between us wasn't so great. But this was about making a statement. This could easily blow up in my face and humiliate me irreparably, but what was life without risk? And fortune favors the bold, besides.

"That's alright. Thank you though, I mean it. But they just want me, and that's who they're going to get. I wouldn't mind teaming with you during the club meetings though." I said gently.

Erin nodded. "Alright, just be careful. You're going to look like the biggest idiot if this doesn't pay off." She then barked out a nervous laugh.

"I know. Hopefully the heart of the cards will see me through." I chuckled facetiously.

"Oh, gag me." She playfully punched me in the arm before making her way out of the makeshift ring. I smiled at her one last time before my expression hardened.

"I'm ready now. The ground rules will be as follows, if you find them agreeable." I intoned. "I will begin with 8000 life points, while you both will have 4000 each. If I get the first turn, I will draw. Furthermore, in the event I get the first turn, the turn will then pass to Seika, then back to me, then Harrington. No one gets to attack until everyone has had at least one turn. If one of you are defeated, the other is free to continue. In that event, we will go back to standard regulations. Clear?"

"If one of us gets the first turn, then we get to draw as well. We will decide the first turn by coin flip, rather than rock-paper-scissors. And I will take our team's first turn." Seika pressed. Harry instantly nodded in agreement with her.

"Very well. Does anyone have a coin?" Someone did. I called tails, which was incorrect. I got the first turn.

"I'll set a monster and two face-downs." I started off in the same low-key way I usually did. The turn then passed to Seika, who was clearly wearing the pants in this tag team.

"Try this one, Lancaster! I summon **Alien Shocktrooper (1900/900)** in attack mode! Then, I'll set a card face-down and pass." To her side materialized a green four-legged lizard with a centaur-esque body, the top half of its frame more humanoid than the bottom half. It held a curved scimitar in its webbed hands.

"Very well. I draw." Having more cards available to me at a given time than either of them individually was invaluable. "I activate **Foolish Burial** , pitching a Spirit Reaper. That does it for my turn."

"Watch out, Seika! He's probably setting up to summon one of his Chaos monsters." Harrington pointed out with perception uncharacteristic to him. Is it possible he might be more of a threat than I thought?

"It's my move!" The tennis prodigy began. "I'll set a backrow and end my turn." He must have bricked. Either way, having a lot of set cards to play through was going to get annoying. It made me wish Harpie's Feather Duster was legal.

"Alright, now we can attack." I repeated, just to be clear with them. "And that's what I plan to do! I summon **Breaker the Magical Warrior (1600/1000)**!" A red-cloaked knight took the field, arcane energies crackling at the edges of his sword and shield. "When he's summoned, he gets a spell counter, which lets him gain 300 attack points. However, it's not going to be here for long, because I'm going to remove it to destroy a backrow. I choose Harry's face-down." Directing his sword, Breaker hurled a bolt of green plasma at his set Mirror Force.

"Now, Breaker will attack him directly!" With a blur of speed, the magical knight was upon Harrington in a second, landing a harmless slash on his person. "Damn it!" Harry cursed as he took a step back. **(Jamie 4000/Seika 4000/Harry 2400)**

"Sorry, Seika, he got me there! I didn't want to be the first one to take damage…" He said apologetically to his teammate. Seika subtly rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

" _I'll feel a lot better once one of them is out of the picture. I need to make sure my defenses are airtight, or else I'll get overwhelmed in an instant!"_ I thought with intense focus. "I end my turn."

"During your end phase, I activate my quick-play spell **, A-Cell Recombination Device!** " Seika cut in. A canister filled with bizarre orange fluid appeared on the field next to Seika's shocktrooper. "You're not the only one who can play around with counters. By sending an Alien monster from my deck to my grave, I can give one of your monsters A-counters equal to the monster's level."

"Wait…huh?" Harrington scratched his head, silently expecting a further explanation.

Seika huffed, rifling through her deck with skillful ease. "See, by pitching a level six Alien Overlord, I can put six A-counters on his Breaker." As she placed the card in her graveyard, a pollen-like spray suddenly shot from the orange canister, covering my monster in disgusting foreign parasites.

"Ew, that's gross Seika! Don't you have any mind for aesthetics?!" Harrington instantly commented. The crowd gave a startled chuckle at the sudden breaking of the tension.

"This is the deck I play. Aliens have brought me great success, and I don't mind at all how they look." Seika responded haughtily. I rather appreciated her attitude – not using a card because it was ugly was the nadir of vanity.

"Now, as I was saying, your Breaker now has six A-Counters on them. When a monster with A-counters battles an Alien monster, they lose 300 attack and defense points for each counter. However, that is not what I am concerned with at the moment. I play my other trap, **Brainwashing Beam**!" Grey sparkles flashed in the air. Compelled by invisible puppet strings, Breaker the Magical Warrior suddenly flew over to Seika's side of the field.

"Your card's effect is rather obvious." I snarked.

"Don't worry, your monster's only mine for six turns. During each of my end phases, it loses an A-Counter. When it has no counters left, you get it back. See, it's not so bad." She said with mocking sweetness.

"This duel won't last that long." I replied smugly.

"You're right. Especially once I reveal my plan!" Seika drew her next card. "First, I'll use A-Cell Recombination's graveyard effect. By banishing it, I can search an Alien from my deck. Then, I sacrifice your Breaker to tribute summon **Cosmic Horror Gangiel (2600/2000)**!"

Breaker disappeared in a bright green space-age laser beam. From the mothership descended a mad, writhing creature with innumerable tentacles, teeth, and other appendages. It was enormous, stretching to the ceiling of the atrium. Several members of the audience were grossed out upon seeing the grey mass of flesh, but at this point they were all used to strange-looking creatures. It was rather funny – at first, these monster holograms (as well as their apparitions in shadow games) seemed hyper-real, more vivid and potent than dreams. Nowadays, I barely paid any mind to how crazy this all was.

"This is a seven star monster, but by sacrificing a monster that originally belonged to my opponent, I can play it with only one sacrifice." Seika explained, her hair rustling in the breeze from the doorway. Orange evening light casted long shadows in the atrium. Thankfully, the sun wasn't in my eyes yet.

"Now, let's see what you're hiding behind! Gangiel, attack!" A storm of puckered tentacles shot out at me, causing me to flinch and recoil instinctively. Luckily, my set **Marshmallon (300/500)** absorbed the blows as easily as always.

"I would think you guys would know better than to attack my set monsters at this point." I mocked, tweaking them further. Playing the part of the asshole made me a bit uncomfortable, although I admit it wasn't hard to fake most of the disdain. There would be no Obelisk White in this timeline, not once I was through with these guys. Marshmallon reflected some of the force from the attack back at Seika, causing her to stumble **. (Jamie 4000/Seika 3000/Harry 2400)**

"I was hoping that would be a Spirit Reaper, but oh well…I can still overcome your defenses. I activate Cosmic Horror Gangiel's special effect! I can place an A-Counter on one of your monsters at no cost." A pink sucker latched onto my monster, causing Marshmallon to squirm in discomfort.

"I end with that."

"Okay." I drew. Seika was starting to build a board. I should finish off Harry before he can mount a defense, so I can focus on her exclusively.

"I play **Don Zaloog (1400/1500)**!" The eye-patched thief was fighting on my side for a change. I imagine Bastion would probably go into hysterics if he saw his old foe's image, but luckily this incarnation was only a holographic doppelganger of the malicious duel spirit.

"Sorry Harry, but you know how it is." I shrugged. My adversary did not look so understanding as the rogue unsheathed his dagger and took a pass at him. **(Jamie 4000/Seika 3000/Harry 1000)**

"Ah, shit! Hey Seika, a little help would be nice! Couldn't you have used one of your face-downs?!" Harry yelped.

"They wouldn't have helped." Seika said drolly, and I had the oddest feeling she wasn't telling the whole truth. Oh well, whatever was going on between the two of them wasn't my business. Harry sent the top two cards of his deck to the graveyard due to Don Zaloog's effect. Since I had some face-downs, I felt comfortable ending my turn there.

"Aw man, I gotta do something or else I'm gonna look bad in front of the lady!" Harry said with faux-indignation.

"Let's go, Rosewood, do something!" Some of his tennis teammates jeered. "Do your best, Harry! Kick that smug lion's ass!" A few female admirers echoed. It appears these last few rounds have not been to the crowd's satisfaction. Yuya Sakaki would certainly not be pleased with me if he were around – I think the only way I could put a smile on the faces of these people would involve my defeat.

"Come on, let's see it!" Harry said to psych himself up as he drew his next card. "Awesome! I've still got a chance! I set a card, then I'll summon **The Big Server (300/800)**!"

"What the hell?" This definitely wasn't a card in the real game. It must have been one of those bizarre tennis cards he used in his match against Jaden. A robot clothed in tennis gear took the field, its right arm ending in a tennis racket rather than a hand.

"I hope you actually have a plan, Rosewood!" Seika barked impatiently.

"Trust me, babe. When it comes to tennis, I'm always on target. The Big Server can attack you directly, due to its special ability!" Harry continued. From a slot in its arm, the server loaded up a tennis ball. Throwing it skywards, he launched it at me at a perfect angle, the ball passing through me with a whoosh. **(Jamie 3700/Seika 3000/Harry 2400)**

"Finally, we got some damage on him!" Seika said, seeming somewhat relieved.

"That's not all. When The Big Server successfully attacks directly, I can add the spell card Service Ace to my hand! However, you get to draw a card as well, Lancaster." I nodded, glad at the surprise windfall. I have no idea why he thought 300 damage was a fair price for allowing me to draw a card, but maybe this Service Ace card was good enough to warrant the price.

"And now, I'll play **Service Ace**!" Harry announced as he ended his battle phase. "Here's the deal, Lancaster. I pick a card in my hand, and you have to guess what kind of card it is – monster, spell, or trap. If you guess it right, then nothing happens. If you guess wrong, you take 1500 points of damage. So," He picked the rightmost of his four cards. "Which is it? Your odds are one in three."

I see he pretty much relies on the same strategy in every one of his duels. Good lord, and this man was an Obelisk Blue! "Very well, I guess monster."

"Ha! Too bad, it's actually – " He paused. "A monster. You were right." The crowd was dead silent for a moment before they begun to laugh at the turn of events.

"Good thing you have a backup plan, right?" Seika pressed.

"Uh…uhm…well…you see…I was really hoping he would have guessed wrong." Harry scratched his head. Seika practically face-faulted. It was really hard not to laugh, but I kept my expression as straight as possible.

"Uh, shit…I end my turn." Harry finished.

I drew quickly, growing impatient. "I think I've seen enough. It's time to end this. I'll start by playing **Card of Sanctity** , allowing us all to replenish our hands. Then, I'll play **Mystical Space Typhoon** to destroy one of Seika's face-downs." Her face-down Magic Cylinder was promptly swept away by the cyclone.

"Then, I'll summon **Tribe-Infecting Virus (1600/1000)**!" This card was limited to one – I was lucky to draw it. The card had a strange appearance, only showing up as a haze of orange, swirling disease. "Sorry Harry, but Seika isn't the only one willing to use some gross cards. As you'll soon see, this virus is quite potent. By discarding one card, I can declare a monster type, and all monsters of the declared type are destroyed. I choose Reptile!"

Instantly, the haze rotted away the bodies of Seika's alien monsters, blood and bones both eaten and torn apart by the super infectious agents. "N..no way!" She hissed, but I wasn't finished yet.

"The card I discarded for that effect was Asura Priest, a light monster. And now, I'll banish the light-attribute Asura Priest along with the dark-attribute Spirit Reaper I sent with Foolish Burial…"

The evening sun burst through the windows, dipping just low enough to cast bright light into the entry hall.

I raised one hand skyward. "Knight of the dawn! You, who heralds a new day dawning, help me bring forth a new era for Obelisk Blue! Slash through the night and destroy that which holds us back! I summon thee, **Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning (3000/2500)**!"

I couldn't resist indulging in a little duelist pageantry, and if any monster warranted it, it was this one. His armor glinted just as magnificently in the evening light as it did the dawn. With his sword sling casually over his shoulder, the Black Luster Soldier was completely secure in his legendary status, effortlessly causing Harry and Seika to freeze in intimidation. The crowd was quelled into silence by the sheer presence of the knight.

"It's like I said – all that matters to me is that we grow stronger together. I don't care about being the big leader, or about some portentous title. All I want is to restore the name of this house. If you hate me for that, then so be it. Remember this anger and use it to become even more powerful!" I roared.

Seika and Harry didn't respond, still baffled and enraged at how quickly the tables turned on them. After a moment, they still hadn't responded, so I continued. "Black Luster Soldier, attack the Big Server!" With ease, my creature sliced up Harry's monster into ribbons, depleting the rest of his life points.

"And when Black Luster Soldier destroys a monster, it can attack again, as you know." I jerked my head in Seika's direction. Nodding loyally, the soldier of chaos landed a devastating overhead slash on Seika, finishing her off as well. At the same time, Seika and Harry fell on their knees, still agape at how sudden defeat came for them. **(Jamie 3700/Seika 0/Harry 0)**

Dead silence. The crowd looked askance at each other, each of the bystanders hoping that someone else, anybody else, would step forward and shut me up. No one did. I took a few steps up the stairwell and continued on with my speech as though nothing happened.

"This will be the first meeting of the Obelisk Force. Club meetings will be Mondays and Thursdays at eight. If you have any questions, my phone number is on the bulletin notice. Be there or be square."

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. Here's to a great 2019!**

 **To me, there's no question that the Obelisk Blues as depicted in canon are complete fodder and are in drastic need of reform. They're pretty much the Yugioh equivalent of the ANBU from Naruto in the sense that they are presented as "elites" while constantly getting doo-dooed on to show that a certain character is "strong". Something has to change if the events of the second season are to be circumvented.**

 **As I'm sure many picked up on in this chapter, the tactic Jamie is using to provoke/motivate the Obelisks is the same tactic that Kaiba used on the intern applicants at the beginning of the summer – piss them off by acting like an arrogant asshole, thereby motivating them to defeat you and thus become stronger in the process. In a meta sense, some of Jamie's personality has been inspired by Kaiba from the beginning, but now he's literally been influenced by Kaiba in-universe as well.**

 **But the key difference here is their intentions. Kaiba mainly did what he did for his own amusement, Jamie here is trying to avoid the collective brainwashing of his friends and peers, along with the destruction of the planet in the process. He had to find a way to light a fire under the Obelisk's collective asses, and since they already think of themselves as elites, doing the nice guy thing wasn't really gonna work. Whether you agree or disagree with Jamie's actions and attitudes, hopefully you found the chapter's events interesting.**

 **Speaking of the impending threat, we got to see a bit of Aster Phoenix this chapter, as well as Sartorius, the primary antagonist of this arc. In writing these characters, I'm taking influence from sources like the Conviction Arc in Berserk and the Stannis/Davos/Melisandre plotline in A Song of Ice and Fire. Overall though, I hope to present both characters in a fairly nuanced fashion and avoid the "church/God is evil" trope that anime is so fond of employing.**

 **Thank you all for your continued readership and best of luck heading into the new year!**


	38. The Lucky One

Chapter 38: The Lucky One

"Is this a good time to call, mister Kaiba?"

"Yeah, I'm just flying back into Domino right now. You caught me at a fine time, Lancaster."

It was about eleven at night, and I had just gotten back from an Obelisk Force meeting. This secondary meeting was meant to establish position holders. Taking into account grades, dueling performance, improvement, and extracurricular involvement, we elected myself, Alexis, Erin, Atticus, and surprisingly Jasmine as officers. We didn't necessarily have supreme authority over the other members, but we would generally work together to decide what to do at meetings. We would also act as club representatives to the school at large, specifically for activities like the Club Fair and Duel Monsters Spirit Day. Since the officers positions were decided by the abovementioned factors, they were going to be constantly competed for. In that sense, they served as an incentive for members to improve their skills. Apart from that, I spent the meeting in practice matches with my peers while my fellow officers either worked on homework or watched pro matches.

"That sounds like a rather productive exercise." Kaiba rasped through the phone after I told him this. "No surprise that Crowler approved it so fast, considering how much of a boner he has for his precious Obelisk Blues."

"I do not need to hear the words Crowler and boner in the same sentence, ever. Sir." I cut in, daring to make a joke.

Kaiba cough-laughed. "Well, too bad. Yugi gave me a lot of backtalk about my mouth back in the day, I don't need to hear it from you too. Now then, what's this I hear about Aster Phoenix making a trip to Academy Island?"

"From what I understand, he desired a match against Jaden Yuki. However, he decided to draft a deck from eight packs of Ancient Sanctuary instead of using his real deck. He was clearly sandbagging for some reason. Jaden beat him rather handily, and then the guy just left. I never even saw his face." It was a carefully played game, trying to decide how much confusion to show, how much to tell him while trying to predict his responses. Any conversation with Kaiba was like fencing on a tightrope, trying not to fall while parrying your opponent.

"There is clearly some sort of plot at work here. Aster Phoenix should have neither the time nor the desire to come to my island. And what's with all the drama around this Jaden Yuki guy? I swear I hear that kid's name more and more as time goes on. He's the guy who helped you fight Kagemaru, right?" Kaiba said impatiently.

"Yeah. Not sure what Phoenix would want with him. It's possible he might be scouting Jaden." I suggest, playing dumb.

"Pros don't do the scouting, and scouting is generally not done in such an obvious way. He has some ulterior purpose, I'm sure of it. My people will keep a closer eye on his movements in the future. Speaking of Aster Phoenix, he'll be fighting your buddy Zane Truesdale next Friday in Tokyo. You want to go?"

The offer shocked me. "Thank you, sir." This upcoming match would be critical for Zane. If he loses, as he did in canon, then he could start on the cursed path that eventually claimed his life in canon. If I was around, perhaps I could talk things out with him. Besides, he was more used to losing – he had lost to me several times during our practice matches, and I to him. An additional loss shouldn't affect him too drastically, should it? There was no way of knowing.

And yet, if I leave the island, then Sartorius or Mackenzie may make a move. If the former succeeds in brainwashing even a single student, then my problems are going to compound exponentially. And who the hell knows what Mackenzie's plan was? And someone will need to handle the Obelisk Force meetings as well. The more I thought about it, the more staying put seemed the right option.

"I appreciate it, but I don't think it's a good idea to leave the island now. I want to be able to keep you informed." By framing my rationale in a way that emphasized its benefit for Kaiba, I hope he would find my refusal easier to swallow.

"I see. That is probably wise. In any case, I have an extra spot in my suite, since I will be unable to attend due to a conference call. Do you think one of your friends may like to go instead? It makes no difference to me." Kaiba replied. He must have been in a good mood or something.

"…I'm sure one of them will." I had one person in mind, particularly. "If that's all, sir, I'll call you back tomorrow, once I've found someone." This conversations were meant to be brief, so I tried to think of the most important points beforehand.

"Try and call at night again if you can. And when you can, try and duel Reggie Mackenzie. I want to see how she stacks up to you." Kaiba added on. "Your pay will be directly deposited tomorrow morning once the banks open."

"Thank you, sir." With that, he wordlessly hung up. I rested on my back, gazing out of the open window from my bed. A light nighttime breeze caused the drapes to flutter softly, and for a while I fixed my eyes on them.

I was essentially being paid to be Kaiba's hall monitor on the island. Of course, it was in the name of keeping the island safer, but the secrecy of it all bothered me. I guess it was better than working at Rosewood Sporting Goods at any rate. God damn, it felt good to quit that shit. Although Harry probably would have found a way to fire me anyways, considering how badly I beat his ass in front of most of the dorm. "I suppose at least this has a purpose to it…" I murmured. But even then, there was a balancing element to working at that shop with Adam, complaining about Harry and catching a spot on the beach after the end of a long work day. Everything was growing more tangled up as time went on.

"Bah, I'm getting too caught up in my own thoughts again…" I forcibly shook my head and turned off the lights, rolling into a disturbed sleep.

XxXxXXxXxXxxXXXXxX

"So, what do you say, Atticus?"

"What do I say? I accept, of course! This is awesome!" Atticus gushed as I offered him the pass to Kaiba's suite on the night of the match between Aster and Zane. Although he was one of my five officers, I felt Atticus was the best choice for this. He and Zane went way back – if the Kaiser found himself in a bad way after losing (assuming he still loses), then I trusted Atticus would be able to bring him back from the edge.

"But I gotta ask – why aren't you going? I bet Zane would love to see ya. He's always going on about wanting another all-out duel with you someday." Atticus asked. We were in the main academy duel arena, watching Jasmine and Erin have a practice match over lunch. Atticus and I were eating some sandwiches as we talked.

"I feel the same." I said with a smile. Hopefully the next time Zane and I really go full force in a duel, it'll be as friends. "But I don't have time to head to back to the mainland. I don't want to get behind on schoolwork." It was a lame excuse, and he called me on it.

"Really, man?" Atticus raised an eyebrow.

"I just don't want to leave the island for now, that's all. So do me a solid and go instead." I said in a tone that brooked no further argument.

"Alright, whatever. If you don't want to tell me why, that's your business. Like I said, I'm not gonna pass up on this! Thanks a lot, Jamie!"

"No problem, enjoy yourself." As we spoke, Erin finished off Jasmine rather handily. Jasmine was playing a Six Samurai variant again. I think she was really growing fond of that deck, having co-opted it somewhat from Bastion. She was improving rapidly too – it was quite a relief, in all honesty. I could tell she still didn't like me, but at least she was taking things seriously now. If only the same could be said for Mindy. She was not taking well to the idea of the Obelisk Force, often showing up late to meetings and shirking out of practice games. But that was a problem for another time. Right now, it was nice to see Jasmine actually train.

Today, however, Erin got the better of Jasmine. "That was a good game." The water duelist said encouragingly to Jasmine. "But you overextended too much, and didn't play around my backrow at all. Try to study up some common backrow and then you'll be able to move around them."

"Right! I can get too aggressive at times…thank you for the advice." Jasmine nodded appreciatively.

"Hey, don't worry about it. You'll get a chance to rematch me at the next meeting. Just think of it this way – even now, you're the fifth best duelist in Obelisk Blue! Just think how good you'll get as time goes on!" Erin responded with a toothy smile.

I hate to be a negative nancy, but the fact that Jasmine is the fifth strongest in Obelisk Blue spoke more to the overall weakness of the house then it did our strength. Jasmine was decent, but she was still prone to amateur mistakes in both deckbuilding and execution. We needed to get a lot better and fast before that fucker Sartorius started moving, or else not only were my friends and peers going to be enslaved, but this entire planet is getting destroyed. Time waits for no man.

The rest of the afternoon went slowly, everyone feeling the effects of the infamous post-lunch haze combined with the island's sweltering heat this time of year. I shared the last class of the day (Drummond's world history) with Jaden, Syrus, and Mackenzie. Today, however, there was a new face. New, yet familiar.

Wearing a sleeveless variant of the Ra Yellow uniform, Jaden's new companion was a tall, dark-skinned young man with some seriously insane muscles for a fifteen year old. His thick dreadlocks were covered by a brown and yellow bandanna with a dinosaur design on it. No doubt about it – this must be Tyranno Hasselberry. Please for the love of god, tell me that isn't his actual name. It has to be a nickname or something, right?

An army brat obsessed with dinosaurs, and the source of the infamous "Dino DNA" meme – not that I have a problem with that. Any ally is welcome, and it's not like the rest of us aren't a little goofy in some way. He became a friend of Jaden's in canon after the latter beat him in a duel – kinda like everyone else, except Zane and I of course. Then, Tyranno seemed to get the idea that Jaden was his new commanding officer or something like that. Like I said, weird guy. After class, I made my way over to Jaden's group to introduce myself.

"Oh, hey Jamie! What's up!" Jaden greeted cheerily. "This is a new buddy of mine, Tyranno Kenzan!"

Kenzan? I thought his English dub name was Hasselberry. "Hey, what's up man? My name is Jamie Lancaster."

Kenzan shook my hand firmly. "Hey, I've heard of ya! You started out as a Ra Yellow last year, isn't that right?"

"Yeah, I was Bastion Misawa's roommate." I chuckled. "But I made it into Obelisk Blue after beating Chazz Princeton in a promotion match."

"Heh, well it's good to hear that not everyone in that place is a pampered little prince or princess, respectively." Kenzan grumbled, but there was no true malice in his tone. "I had high enough scores on the entrance exam to make it in, but since I didn't come from a prep school, they stuck me in the yellow barracks."

"Believe me, Obelisk Blue is gonna be a different place very soon. I grew tired of the pampered princes and princesses myself. Nothing wrong at all with Ra Yellow." I said.

"Mister Lancaster has started a new club for Obelisk Blue students to practice their dueling skills. It's a study club as well." Mackenzie chimed in cutely while Syrus snuck a peek at her ass. "I didn't join myself, but I think it's a great idea for those who need improvement!" Her cheerful tone nearly made me sick – no matter what, I couldn't forget who she is and what she was about.

"Hey, that's pretty sweet! Reminds me of that Fight Club movie I watched as a kid." Jaden laughed. Wait a minute, Jaden watched Fight Club as a kid? What the fuck? His parents must have been hands-off to the extreme. " _Maybe Yubel got a kick out of it or something…"_ I thought with a chill.

"It's just a shame that we Slifers and Ras can't join. I really need to get some training in, and soon!" Syrus piped up.

"Why's that?" I asked as we walked out of the main school building. In silent agreement, we all started to amble towards the Blue-Eyes Café.

"Syrus retook some classes over the summer in order to bring up his GPA. Now, he's met the academic prerequisites for advancement to Ra Yellow!" Jaden ruffled his best friend's hair, and the little guy flushed under the attention. Syrus may have been annoying at times, but I still really liked the guy and wanted him to succeed.

"That's awesome! When is your promotion exam?" Of course this would happen soon, Syrus was promoted to Ra Yellow in canon very soon after the start of his second year.

"Next Friday at three – the same day of my brother's pro match against Aster Phoenix." Syrus said with resolve. "Here's hoping for a Truesdale victory on both counts!"

"You'll kick ass, I'm sure of it. But just in case you want some extra help, I can give you a special pass to the Obelisk Force meetings. There are three between now and your match – this Thursday, next Monday, and the following Thursday. I'd be happy to help you out." I offered.

"That would be great, Jamie. I really appreciate it." Syrus said humbly. "But I'm afraid I'm going to have to turn you down."

"If any of my housemates give you trouble, I'll – huh? You refuse?" I nearly did a double take, not expecting this answer from Syrus at all.

"That's right. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm not grateful for the offer, I really am. But this is something I should do by myself. I want to prepare for this challenge and pass it on my own merits. I don't want to keep relying on you guys forever, especially if I want to be like my brother." Syrus' fingers coiled into a fist. "That's what I've decided!"

His resolve surprised me. Did something happen to make him so motivated? I couldn't say what exactly. "Alrighty then, cool. If you change your mind, let me know. Jaden, Kenzan, I could probably get you guys in if you want…"

"Don't worry about it, man. I'm pretty confident in my skills." Jaden said. Unsurprisingly, Kenzan decided to ape him and said the same thing. Then, Jaden looked to Syrus again. "I'm not gonna lie, it's gonna be a bit weird not to have a roommate, especially since there were three of us last year. Not that I'm complaining."

Syrus sheepishly spoke up. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Jay. I'm not even sure who my opponent is going to be. It could be an Obelisk Blue for all I know!"

It is a bit strange that the duelist for these promotion exams is chosen randomly (or at least it was supposed to be random – I had a feeling Crowler pulled strings when he felt like it). Hell, I could be Syrus' opponent in theory, although I would use my influence with Crowler to avoid that eventuality. It would make sense for Syrus to fight a Ra Yellow since he would be promoted to Ra Yellow upon victory, but in canon he fought some fodder Obelisk Blue girl, if memory serves.

Oh, shit! If Syrus faces an Obelisk Blue, regardless of who specifically, if that person was part of the Obelisk Force, they would be stronger than they would be in canon. That could be a problem, but only time will tell for sure.

We arrived at the crossroads between the café and the Slifer Red dorm. Jaden, Syrus, and Kenzan began to taper off from Mackenzie and I. "You guys want to get coffee?" Mackenzie asked.

"Nah, I'm good. We might hit the gym or something." Jaden shrugged, his two henchmen shrugging along with him.

"Thanks again for the offer, Jamie." Syrus gave me a thumbs up, which I returned. Kenzan nodded at me silently, sizing me up a little as he walked away. He was probably wondering about how I dueled – I shouldn't be surprised if he asks for a match sometime soon. Before I could think on that further though, I realized I was now alone with Reggie Mackenzie.

"Well, shall we?" She gestured her head towards the coffee shop. I couldn't refuse, since I literally just asked Jaden's group if they wanted to accompany me. "Sure, why not." I assented awkwardly.

As we walked, it occurred to me that Mackenzie and I were rather similar. We were both actors, carrying dark secrets under pleasant, normal facades. Both of us were plotting in secret, with the ultimate goal of defeating the other. She didn't know it yet, but I would soon become one of her more annoying obstacles. And for all I knew, she could become one of my greatest enemies, assuming I managed to stop Sartorius. But for the moment, we were both playing our roles.

"I'm surprised you're getting along so well with Jaden. Most of the Obelisks despise him." I probed. They mainly despised him because he was a living reminder of how meaningless their elite status was. I was certain Jaden could eviscerate 95% of Obelisk Blue if the whim so occurred to him.

"If you don't mind me saying so, most of your housemates don't seem to know very much about anything. So I figure if I do the opposite of them, I'll do just fine." Mackenzie met my eyes as we entered the café and got in line. "I've learned that the persona most people project tends to be quite contrary to their true selves."

"That's very perceptive. I've learned that fact as well. For example, did you know that some of Atticus Rhodes' pickup lines actually work on some girls? I never would have guessed that when I first met him." I guided the conversation into more humorous, shallow waters, despite her desire to jump into the deep end.

Mackenzie laughed politely. "Oh, I'm sure they do. He is handsome, if nothing else. But I can tell that there is a certain weight to him…he has experienced darkness in the past, I am sure of it."

"Hmm, I guess I don't know. How can you tell?" I was relieved when the time came to place my order. This reminded me rather unpleasantly of my conversation with Alexis last year in this very same coffee shop, where I arrogantly demanded her to ask Zane for a duel. I wasn't in a good place back again – I was still grappling with my new reality in this world. My assumption that I could control and guide the events of a once-fictional universe caused me to act recklessly. To act recklessly here, with this woman, would be suicidal.

"Why, thank you. But really, I just find people fascinating, so I pick up on these things. Studying on this island will give me many opportunities to meet interesting people. People with special qualities." She said ominously. Was she trying to creep me out? Even if I didn't know her true mission, this was getting a bit obvious. Why let the mask slip already?

"Well, we've got plenty of amazing people here! I've met so many new friends, for whom I am very grateful. I hope we can get along as well." I cheerily quipped as we sat down.

"I hope so as well. Your idea regarding the Obelisk Force was very interesting, in my opinion. It must be disappointing to see so many of your peers wallowing in mediocrity, and taking pride in it no less." Her statement demanded some sort of expository response.

"Well, I think most of them just do what is necessary to keep their positions. After all, even if someone graduates at the bottom of their class in Obelisk Blue, they are still an Obelisk Blue." I said evasively.

"It is much the same in America. We do not have dorm rankings like you do, so our situation is even worse. There are only a few students who are really pushing their limits and getting stronger at any time. Otherwise, most do not take their schooling very seriously." Mackenzie replied, sipping a cinnamon dolce. "Your attitude is quite refreshing, in truth. But I wonder – why are so insistent on them growing more powerful? Aren't you afraid of someone surpassing you in rank?"

"Well, I'll make sure to keep up with my training as well." I nervously chuckled as I took a long swig of my Americano. "But ultimately, I just want to restore the name of Obelisk."

She nodded silently, not overtly accepting that explanation. Our eyes were constantly searching for a crack in the other's armor. Looking underneath the underneath. Her gaze was fucking intense, possessed by a demented energy, unrelenting in its pursuit of knowledge.

" _What is it you really want?"_ Both of us wondered, not sure who was playing whom.

XxxXXXxxxxXxXxXXxxXXXXx

(Aster Phoenix POV)

The night came, and so he went.

Good and evil exist in this world, of this he is certain. Furthermore, the quantity of each in a human being is unchangeable. The moral character of man is set, fixed until death. Yes, there are good people, and there are evil people. An apple that is half rotten is no different than an apple that is completely rotten – both are judged equally by the beholder.

Aster Phoenix believes it his duty to throw away the rotten apple cores that pile up on these streets. They all came from the same seed, the same malice and arrogance that senselessly ripped his father away ten years ago.

So Aster made it his mission to hunt down criminals, in the hope that one day, he would eventually find the man that ripped his parents from him. Or at least, this was his rationale. As time slipped further and further into the future, Aster doubted his parent's killer was even still alive, much less at large. Still, he hunted, if only to temporarily quell the rage frozen deep in his heart. Most of the time, he apprehended them non-lethally. Most of the time.

Then, the next morning, he got up and performed his duties as a pro duelist. As a boy, dueling was what made Aster's heart stir more than anything else. It was his dream to become a great man through dueling, like Seto Kaiba or Maximillion Pegasus. But since the death of his parents, dueling was only a way to honor their memories – Aster took no pleasure from the game. He couldn't let himself love the game, because then something would eclipse the hatred he felt, and that would be the nadir of dishonor.

It's easy to forget that most personal change does not occur in a single moment in time, but rather as a long, gradual shifting. It's like grains of sand being pushed around by the tide, forming new contours and shapes. The boy Aster used would burst into tears if he saw what he had become now. But Aster, devoted to his mission, would never think of such things.

He wasn't sure at first, but after the night's work, Aster felt the hands of destiny guiding him along its winding river. After his foretold victory against the Kaiser, he would return to Duel Academy. There, he would defeat Jaden Yuki. No, not just defeat – Aster would crush him utterly, and prove his superiority beyond a shadow of a doubt. The way Jaden threw around the word Hero so casually, the carefree spirit he embodied so effortlessly – it was an affront that could not be tolerated!

 _"Hero…that word has been sullied by his like for far too long! I will reclaim it, so there can be no doubt of its true meaning."_ Aster brooded as he gazed down at the city from an apartment rooftop. Sharp blue eyes searching, the vigilante caught sight of some excitement. A large, muscled thug was beating up someone else in the alleyway. Aster deftly made his way to the apartment complex's fire escape, unsure of the altercation's cause. Straining his ears, he was able to make out harsh, guttural words.

"That's what you get for trying to be a hero. Fucking pussy. Now, we can keep doing this, or you can cough up everything else you've got." The larger man, now revealed to be a mugger, was beating the absolute hell out of what appeared to be a scrawny teenage boy.

Well, that made his decision rather easy. Aster leapt down from the rooftop and went to work.

XxXxXxXXxXXxxXxxxx

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

I was in my room, brooding sexily (yeah, I wish) over my odd conversation with Mackenzie. Definitely one of the weirder dates I've been on in my life. Actually, maybe I shouldn't call it that. It was just a guy and a girl getting to know each other (while also playing verbal games and employing strategic misdirection) one-on-one over coffee. That's nothing like a date!

One thing they never tell you in those harem anime that Syrus likes (he's gotten a lot more brazen about his tastes ever since Zane left the island – apparently he's binged two seasons of Date A Live over the past five days somehow) is that having the attention of more girls only makes your life more complicated, not less. Then again, I'm pretty sure Mackenzie's interests were limited only towards killing me, so at least there's that.

On that thought, Alexis let herself into my room without knocking, carrying a larger than usual bag with her. I wasn't sure whether to be scared or excited.

"Ugh, would you get a load of this, Jamie?" She growled, unzipping the bag without preamble.

"Uh, sure…" I had no choice but to agree.

She pulled out a rather risqué lipstick red dress with a plunging neckline and a hem that couldn't have reached further than mid-thigh. Today was getting better already!

"Wow, changing up your style, huh? No complaints here." I smirked.

"Oh please – this was all Crowler's idea."

"You don't say? Well, I suppose that puts the matter of his sexuality to bed after all, metaphorically speaking. And would I be wrong in assuming that your brother is involved in some way as well?"

"I see the summer hasn't dulled your wit any." Alexis rolled her eyes. "Your assumption is correct. Atticus seems to have put it in Crowler's head that I should be some sort of dueling idol singer. And now Crowler's running with it. I think that the fumes in the headmaster's office are getting him high."

"It's a distinct possibility, I always did notice an odd smell in there." This whole subplot really was giving me a weird vibe. Atticus seemed a little too focused on getting his younger sister in these skimpy Hatsune Miku outfits if you ask me… "If you'd like, I can talk to Crowler."

"We'll see where it goes. I know you already have a lot on your plate, so I don't want to ask you to do anything just for my sake. Hopefully they get the hint and leave me alone, but if not…I'd really appreciate it." Alexis always seems to have problems saying how she really feels.

Moments like these always remind of when Jaden walked away from Alexis in canon in season four after their tag duel. Even after everything those two went through, she couldn't bring herself to confess her feelings for him…not that Jaden would have returned them anyways. Of course, I'm the last person who should be judging anyone for not being open.

"Hey," I stood up and walked over to her. This needed to be said in no uncertain terms, fuck the poetry. "What you want matters. Your feelings matter. And it's okay to do things just for your sake. I don't need another reason, and neither do you. It's okay to refuse people if they're trying to make you do something you don't want to do. You don't have to meet all of their expectations."

She started to look sad, so I added, "For example, if I asked you to put on that dress for me, you wouldn't have to say yes. But it would be nice."

"Oh my god, you're a goofball." She punched my arm. "But I appreciate you saying that. I'll let you know if Crowler or Atticus keep bothering me."

I mentally breathed a sigh of relief. Thank god, that was one problem put on the back burner for now. Its just been coming in waves lately – I only have energy for so much, and she deserves as much as I can give.

"By the way," Alexis suddenly smirked deviously. "Giving Atticus that ticket was a good idea."

"Hmm?" I arched an eyebrow. "I figured he would enjoy it, that's all."

"Oh, I'm sure he will." She leaned in closer. "And since he's not going to be around for three days, we're going to enjoy ourselves as well…"

Then, she showed me how good of an idea it really was.

XxXXxXXxxxXXxxxxxXXXxXxXXxx

Atticus got on a plane sent on Kaiba's behalf on Friday morning. I hoped that his presence could keep Zane from going flying off the slippery slope like he did in canon, but only time would tell. Later that afternoon, Syrus was to take his promotion exam. However, it appeared that his opponent was not that one girl from the canon episode (you'd think I'd remember her name since we're housemates), but someone a bit more familiar, at least to me.

"Well, best of luck, Truesdale. As much as some like to boast before a duel, I honestly have no idea how this is going to turn out." Adam Sugihara said carelessly. A crowd of about twenty had gathered in the main exam arena – Ra Yellow promotions didn't carry nearly as much interest as Obelisk Blue promotions did.

Adam's stance was decidedly casual, his shoulders slouched and his Ra Yellow uniform unbuttoned to show his black t-shirt underneath. His hairstyle was different now – he cut his black locks short and faded the sides, leaving the top high. I never noticed it before, since his hair was so long, but he had pierced ears. I know he hated the mustard yellow uniform, and watching him grimace through it for the sake of ceremony was rather amusing. He seemed more tanned as well – I wonder how a summer of working in his father's casino treated him.

Syrus, on the other hand, was ramrod straight, obviously nervous, and he had been shuffling his deck for the past minute and a half. "I – I never pictured I'd being up against you, Sugihara."

"Really? I mean, a Ra Yellow student was picked at random for this, so surely the possibility must have entered your head at some point." Adam yawned. "Either way, I didn't have much of a choice in the matter."

"This is actually kinda lucky for Syrus." Erin said. I sat with her while Jaden, Kenzan, Bastion, Jasmine, and Alexis were still on their way here from class. "I mean, it's not like Adam is going to give a shit about winning or anything."

"Heh," I chuckled. This was quite the amusing matchup, in all honesty. "Syrus will probably try and overthink things, while Adam is just going to swag out and go for the flashiest plays possible because like you said, he doesn't even give a shit. If Syrus plays smart, he should have this in the bag."

"I guess it all comes to down the winds of fortune…" Erin shrugged.

The proctor for the match was the soft-spoken and oft-overlooked professor Sartyr. He was the head of Ra Yellow, as well as the director of the Art department. That included the culinary arts – his fandom for Gordon Ramsey rivaled Zane's, and Sartyr unquestionably cooked the best quiche on the island – so at least he had that going for him.

"Ahem…AHEM…if you all will quiet down…" He asked feebly. No one quieted down. Sartyr had none of Crowler's foppish charisma – the headmaster couldn't be bothered to referee a promotion match between a Slifer and a Ra. "Eh, whatever…the promotion match between Syrus Truesdale and Adam Sugihara will begin now! If mister Truesdale wins, he will earn a spot in Ra Yellow! If mister Sugihara wins…well, then the status quo continues, I guess. Begin!"

As I might have guessed, Adam won the coin toss. Man, sometimes I wondered if that guy had some kind of ability to manipulate coin flips, like some shit Yugi would do. Wait a minute…Adam relies on luck-based cards…so does Sartorius. I wonder what would happen if the two were to duel? Of course, Sartorius could just make the winds of fortune blow in his favor…couldn't he?

Adam chose to go second, and Syrus started off with a frantic energy. "I'll summon **Gyroid (1000/1000** )!" The cartoonish blue helicopter took the field, giving Syrus some solid defense. "Then, I'll set a card and end my turn."

"Alright." Adam said nonchalantly. "I draw. Then, I'll summon **Twin Barrel Dragon (1700/1200)**!" His first creature was a blue-paneled machine as well, but it couldn't be more different than Syrus' soft, cheery Gyroid. The Twin Barrel Dragon was sharp, fierce, designed to be lethal. Its head was a gun for fuck's sake!

"As you know, when this monster is summoned, I can target a monster on the field, then flip two coins. If both are heads, then that card is destroyed. I'm putting Gyroid in my sights!" Adam said with a lopsided grin while an electronic cursor settled on Syrus' vehicroid.

I leaned forward in my seat, finding myself very interested in the result of this coin toss. Many resentful Ra Yellows gossiped that Adam somehow hacked the duel disks, or cheated in some way as an explanation for his prodigious luck. For some reason, the many people who beat Adam in the past never voiced this complaint. But still, the coin flips did seem to go his way more often than not. Could it be that there was some sort of power there my eyes could not see? As I looked upon Adam, I didn't even realize that I was seized by the same curiosity that Erin had when she looked at me.

Sartyr procured two coins from his shirt pocket – it was customary for the proctor or referee to have coins, dice, or some sort of token on his person in official matches, due to instances of cheating in the past. The duel disks had no way of knowing whether a coin or dice was legit, so most duelists developed a keen eye for fake ones in the course of their careers.

The first coin came up heads. I leaned another inch forward.

The second coin landed tails up, or rather, tits up for Adam. "Aw, shoot." The gambler shrugged, while Syrus breathed a sigh of relief. I suddenly slipped from my seat, due to how forward I was leaning.

I cursed under my breath and rubbed my back before returning to my seat. "Wow, Lancaster, are you good?" Jasmine snarked from my right side. Of course the rest of them showed up at that moment. Erin chuckled before hoisting me up into my seat effortlessly – good lord, she was strong!

"How's it going here?" Jaden asked.

"You haven't missed anything, it's turn two. Jamie was just surprised that Adam's coin flip missed, apparently." Erin said jokingly.

She jested, but it was kind of weird how hung up I got on that. Maybe I'm starting to get paranoid? Paranoider? Whatever. I focused back on the duel.

"In that case, I'll attack." Twin Barrel Dragon lined up a shot and took it, heedless of Syrus' face-down.

"I activate my reverse card, **Supercharge**! This lets me draw two cards when a Vehecroid is attacked!" Of course, it did nothing to stop the attack, but it granted Syrus some nice card advantage. Besides, Gyroid's effect prevented it from being destroyed by battle once per turn. The gun shot bounced off of the helicopter's chassis, glancing off Syrus for some early damage **(Syrus 3300/Adam 4000)**.

"I set two cards and end my turn." Adam finished.

"Man, if I were Syrus I'd be on edge like nobody's business. There's no way to determine how Adam's plays are going to turn out – either he's going to pop off, or fall short." Jasmine voiced.

"Indeed. The randomness is quite frustrating." Bastion said with the grumble of someone familiar with the problem in question.

Syrus methodically looked over his cards. I wondered if he was overthinking things – the guy was a bundle of nerves already, and getting psyched out would surely cost him the game. "I summon **Submarineroid (800/1800)** in attack mode." A blue and yellow submarined materialized in a shower of sparks, hovering strangely in midair.

"Now, I'll use Submarineroid's effect to bypass your monster and attack directly!" The roving machine let loose a missile past the Twin Barrel Dragon and at Adam, who threw his hands up to shield himself, despite the purely holographic nature of the attack. **(Syrus 3300/Adam 3200)**

"And since I was able to attack successfully with Submarineroid, I get to switch it to defense mode right after the battle!" During the main phase two, Syrus also switched his Gyroid to defense mode, providing a solid defense against battles from Adam's low-level monsters.

"Syrus is already playing better than he did against the Dark Magician Girl last spring. I have to admit, the little perv has some game." Jasmine commented.

"I still remember how pissed you were that night he sailed over to the girls dorm, remember?" Alexis said fondly. "That already seems like a lifetime ago."

"Yeah, and you and I got a sweet duel out of it, Lex!" Jaden added buoyantly. I said nothing, but inwardly I found it hard to believe that it had only been a year since then. Kenzan gave Jaden a look of confusion, so the Hero duelist began to regale the story to his new friend.

"I believe he's taken much influence from his brother's pro games. I have no doubt Syrus has been seeing Zane battle against high-level opponents all summer, and that's doubtlessly influenced his own style." Bastion deduced.

"We're all improving in our own ways. It's exciting!" Erin grinned.

"Trying to shore up your defenses won't work against me, Syrus. My deck is all or nothing, I don't play the grind game. Now, you'll see!" Adam said with the slightest hint of cockiness in his voice as he drew.

'First, I'll play the spell card **Cup of Ace**. This card lets me flip a coin, and if it lands heads, then I get to draw two cards. If it lands tails, then you get to draw two." Sartyr sent his coin skywards. It was a reckless move – giving your opponent two extra cards was usually a death sentence. But if landed heads…

It did, and Adam got to play Pot of Greed, essentially. "Awesome! Now, I summon **Snipe Hunter (1500/600)**!" A purple-skinned goblin hopped onto Adam's field, wielding a strange item that seemed to be a gun fused with a roulette wheel.

"Oh man, not this guy…" Syrus groaned.

"That's right, it's your turn to play the wheel of fortune, Syrus! Snipe Hunter's effect lets me roll a dice. If it's anything but a one or a six, then I get to blow up one of your cards! And the best part is, this effect can be activated as long as I have cards in my hand! With three cards in my hand, your whole field's getting sniped if fortune is on my side!" Adam explained, discarding a card to send the roulette spinning. Somewhat less dramatically, Sartyr began fishing a die out of his pants pocket.

"I'm not gonna take that chance – activate reverse card, **Divine Wrath**! By discarding a card, I can negate your monster's effect and destroy it!" Syrus countered. Suddenly, a bolt of holy lightning roasted the little demon, blowing the roulette gun to pieces. Sarytr yawned and ceased his searching, while Adam shrugged and pressed on.

"That's alright, because I succeeded in getting the card I needed into the graveyard. I play my trap, Call of the Haunted, to summon **Desperado Barrel Dragon (2800/2200)** to the field!"

From nothingness, a fairly large mecha dragon began to materialize from black and purple smoke. Like the smaller Twin Barrel Dragon, this beast had a bizarre gun-head, though its was more in the fashion of an old-school six shooter than anything else. It had smaller revolvers where its claws would normally be, and its entire body was covered in hard, old steel.

What the hell? This card should exist in this time and place. This card only came out recently in my time! I mean, its not like its overpowered or anything, after all it is a coin flip card, but it was still a marked improvement over the original Barrel Dragon. How did he get that card?

No way…could it be that this was another byproduct of the walls between dimensions and timelines weakening? But the others haven't upgraded their decks, at least to my knowledge. No one in Obelisk Blue has, at the very least. So why are some getting these modern cards and not others? And why is no one making a big deal about this?

"Wow, that must be a new card! Neato." Jaden said simply. I rolled my eyes. I suppose its getting noticed at least. Good lord, sometimes these people had the curiosity of dead plants. Then again, it was probably better this way rather than having a dozen Erins on my case.

"He probably won it in a bet or something…" Alexis said with disapproval. With her generally clean-cut approach to life, I doubt she and Adam had much in common. I'd rather like to see a duel between them sometime as well.

The robotic dragon suddenly roared at the Syrus at the pitch and keel of a gunshot, causing the blue-haired boy to nearly trip over himself. "C'mon Syrus, if you can't handle this much then how are you ever going to be a Ra? Now, see if you can stand up to this! I enter my battle phase!" Adam said with an uncharacteristic burst of passion.

The Barrel Dragon trained all three of its heads on Syrus' monsters. "During my battle phase, instead of attacking with Desperado Barrel Dragon, I can use its special effect. I can toss three coins, and destroy monsters on the field equal to the number of heads – no more, no less!"

As Sartyr fished out three coins, taking an additional two from his wallet to use, Bastion commented, "The effect is worded in such a way that if he flips three heads, he'll have no choice but to destroy one of his own monsters alongside Syrus'. Such a fool."

"That's just how he gets his kicks, I guess. Besides, the chances of that are pretty low." I drawled. Sure enough, Adam only got one head, which he used to destroy Syrus' Gyroid. A earsplitting crack and an equally loud explosion heralded the helicopter's destruction. Getting two good coin flips would have been much more helpful, as he couldn't destroy Submarineroid with Twin Barrel Dragon.

"I'll end my turn with that." Adam said, returning to his poker face.

"Alright, Syrus, calm down…" Syrus clutched his fists and tried to steady himself. He couldn't help being so shaken up, no matter how hard he tried. His shyness was not some cute, but otherwise meaningless personality quirk – it was a real shackle that hindered his potential every day. I was truly lucky that I didn't have to worry about that.

"My draw!" Syrus hesitated for a moment, and I wondered if he drew the dreaded Power Bond. I knew he was still afraid of playing that goddamn card. I advised him to just take the thing out of his deck if he had such a big psychological hangup on it, but he refused to toss it aside. I had no idea why he was so fixated on it. It appeared my initial assumption was wrong, though.

"I play the continuous spell **Future Fusion**! This lets me send fusion materials from my deck to my graveyard, and in two turns, I can special summon the fusion monster to the field!" Surprisingly, Syrus send five Vehicroid monsters from his deck to the graveyard. What did that summon? I couldn't remember.

Adam raised his eyes as well. "We'll see if it last that long. If I'm lucky, I can destroy that Future Fusion before that time comes."

"If you're lucky." Syrus said with surprising audacity.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "There you go, Truesdale. Nothing like some good banter, eh?"

But Syrus was back to business. "I'll switch Submarineroid's battle position in order to attack you directly again!" Bypassing the Barrel Dragons, Syrus successfully took another chunk of life off of Adam. **(Syrus 3300/Adam 2400)**

"I'll set a card and end my turn." Syrus ended. He was really in it for the grind game, but one good draw, one good gamble from Adam could send it all tumbling down.

Adam grew serious again as well. "That submarineroid could be a problem. I probably shouldn't take any more chances with it. First, I'll play the field spell **Heavy Metal Raiders**!" The projectors set up all around the Ra Duel Arena began to flicker to life, transporting us all to a strange, cyberpunk-esque landscape of factories, casinos, and red light districts.

"While this card is on the field, my dark machine monsters need to be destroyed twice by battle. This first time per turn they would be destroyed by battle, they aren't, meaning you have to attack the same monster twice to destroy it for good. Furthermore, when one of my dark machines destroys one of your cards, I get to summon another dark machine from my hand!" Adam explained at length.

Wait a minute, a lengthy, complex effect with tons of different applications! This has to be another modern card as well, I remember it now! What the hell!

"Oh wow, that must be another new card too! Tubular!" Jaden voiced out loud again. Is he reading my mind or something?!

"Are you good, Lancaster? You look like you need a smoke break or something." Kenzan laughed gruffly.

"Oh, uh, just thinking about stuff and…things." I replied dimly.

"Now, I'll destroy that annoying Submarine with Desperado Barrel Dragon!" Adam declared, and the big guns were promptly fired. The submarine was ripped to shreds, Syrus falling over from the shock, despite the lack of any real impact.

"And then, my Twin-Barrel Dragon will attack directly!" the smaller mecha dragon launched two laser beams at Syrus, taking out a significant chunk of life points. "That's all." **(Syrus 1600/Adam 2400)**

To his credit, Syrus quickly rebounded to his feet, a determined expression on his face. "Zane wouldn't show weakness like this!" He muttered, thinking of how his older brother was utterly unflinching in the face of Jaden and Jamie's attacks during their duels.

"It's my turn!" One turn still remained until Syrus could activate his Future Fusion. Somehow, he had to last until then. "I'll…I'll set a monster and end my turn." He said lamely, having few other options.

Adam looked somewhat disappointed before starting his turn. "Time to finish this, I guess. First, I'll summon **BM-4 Blast Spider (1400/2200)**

The Bandit Keith vibes grew even stronger – were non-Americans even allowed to play these cards? – as a compact, robotic spider clanked onto the field, its back loaded with two six-slot rocket launchers.

"Now, I'll attack your face-down monster with Twin-Barrel Dragon!" The dragon's gun barrels heated up as it prepared to fire off another round.

"In response, I play the trap **No Entry!** " Syrus hastily interjected before the dragon could fire. "This trap switches all attacking monsters to defense position!"

I mean, I don't know why he doesn't just play Mirror Force, but sure, this works. Amusingly, I heard the safety click on the Barrel Dragons' guns before they took a knee along with the blast spider. Adam huffed, having no choice but to end his battle phase. During his main phase two, he changed his two Barrel Dragons back into attack mode, while keeping his bomb spider curled up.

"Well, now we'll see what the little squirt has in store with that future fusion." Kenzan gruffly commented.

"It needs to be something crazy. He's going up against three pretty tough monsters, and Adam's got a face-down as well." Alexis began to worry.

Syrus stared down the fearsome cadre of guns in front of him, standing tall. "It's been two turns, so now I can summon a fusion monster using the power of Future Fusion!" A portal of light opened in the space between the two duelists, multicolored rays of light pouring from the opening.

Syrus tightly clenched his hands together, fingers interlocked. "Just as I am one of the next generation, this monster comes from the future, a future where I carry the Truesdale name into legend alongside my brother. From now on, I will become my own man, not just Zane's little brother! Not as some weird little perv that's always reading harem series! But as a duelist worthy of standing with the legends of Generation Next!"

A sudden gale of wind sent Adam's hair and clothes rippling, but he stood unfazed, pivoted away from Syrus defiantly. "Let's see it, then!"

"Fusion Summon! **Barbaroid, the Ultimate Battle Machine (4000/4000)**!" From the gate descended a truly gigantic red mech, easily three times the size of the Desperado Barrel Dragon. Its shape was bizarre, more akin to a valve than anything else. Even so, it rivaled the Cyber End Dragon in power, size, and looks.

The audience seemed surprised that Syrus had something like this in his deck, despite the fact that it fit his overall theme well. I auppose the power and intimidation factor was what seemed different – this was certainly a far cry from the silly, childish vehicroids of earlier.

"It is strong, but you have to play around Heavy Metal Raiders, alongside my face-down. Do you really feel comfortable doing that?" Adam jabbed.

"There are risks no matter what I do. No matter where I go, there is always the chance things won't work out. That's why I get so nervous. But in a duel, I have no choice but to work with what I've got, and this is it! So first, I'll play **Mystical Space Typhoon** to destroy Heavy Metal Raiders!"

The dystopian landscape was blown away cleanly, returning us to the Ra Duel Arena. "Now, I attack your Desperado Barrel Dragon!"

"That doesn't matter! My Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect can be used during either player's battle phase! I get to flip three coins again, and if I get even one heads, your ultimate battle machine gets to be broken down into spare parts!" Adam called out, signaling his dragon to use its special ability. However, the Barrel only turned around and shrugged helplessly at Adam, who sweatdropped.

"Eh…are you good, Barrel Dragon?" Adam looked genuinely thrown off.

"If Barbaroid attacks an opponent's monster, that monster's effects are negated, even in the graveyard. It's intimidating like that!" Syrus grinned – in that moment, he almost looked like Jaden, he was enjoying himself so much.

"That's really something. But I've got one more trick up my sleeve, though! Activate, **Fairy Box**!" Suddenly, all three of Adam's monsters were inside a giant Whack-A-Mole machine, and that is honestly the best way I could describe it. This game must look bloody bizarre to onlookers who don't know the rules. Hell, I even lose track from time to time.

"Your Barbaroid can't negate trap effects, eh? Tough break, because now you have to take a chance. If you still choose to attack, I flip a coin, and if I call it right, your monster's battle powers becomes a fat donut." At the look of confusion from Syrus, Adam added, "it becomes zero, is what I meant to say. Sorry, I'm a bit hungry. Anyways, if I call it wrong, your attack continues."

"So let me ask you – do you feel lucky, punk?"

"Syrus should just call it off." Jasmine sneered. "Even if the attack goes through, it isn't going to be enough damage to win."

"Well, that Barbaroid can attack twice a turn on monsters. Furthermore, if it destroys a monster by battle, it deals 1000 points of burn damage to Adam. So all he has to do is attack once, and he'll do 2400 damage, which is just enough to win." I explained. For some reason, Jasmine just completely ignored me, but whatever.

"Hey, this is cool! An ultimate test of daring!" Jaden grinned.

"Syrus should attack, otherwise the Barrel Dragon will most likely destroy his big boss monster next turn. It all rides on this." Erin's arms were crossed tightly.

Syrus gulped. "Backing down is not an option or me! I choose to attack!"

Adam laughed. "A coin flip to decide everything, then!"

Sartyr nervously retrieved his coin again (why was he losing it all the time? Shouldn't he have it at the ready in a match like this?) as the crowd's eyes settled on him. He dropped it once, causing the place to start before he flipped it for real.

"Tails never fails!" Adam declared. Sartyr nodded before sending the quarter skyward. It fell on the ground, rattling for a few seconds.

Syrus looked like he was about to fall to pieces, while Adam was having the time of his life. Sartyr squinted before calling out, "HEADS!"

While others would have raged against the heavens at this turn of fortune, Adam only shrugged again. "That's how it goes sometimes…"

Tears were leaking from Syrus' wide gray eyes. "Ha….ha…no way! I DID IT! I DID IT!"

Barbaroid's mechanical receptors easily discerned which hold the Desperado Barrel Dragon was hiding in. Firing a focused, intense red laser beam, Syrus' futuristic machine shredded the old-school revolvers, and it was the Barrel Dragon that was broken down to spare parts, creating a mountain of scrap that would lead to Syrus' ascendance. **(Syrus 1600/Adam 0)**

"Syrus Truesdale is the winner! As of this moment, he will be acknowledged as a Ra Yellow!"

"That's my best buddy for ya!" Jaden cheered. "Way to go, man!"

"He's got guts, that's for sure." Erin grinned.

"Zane…your little brother's really something." Alexis smiled fondly, remember her childhood days with the Truesdale brothers.

On that day, Syrus Truesdale triumphed on his own, small battlefield.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **I really wanted to give Syrus some good growth here, after all his promotion to Ra Yellow is a fairly big moment for him in canon as well. The main reasoning I have for increasing his confidence (somewhat) at this point is due to the fact that Zane and Jaden aren't quite as invincible as they are in canon. Since they have more legitimate rivals and are losing games more, Syrus doesn't see them as these unshakable pillars that he can never hope to match in skill. Basically, Syrus views himself as being able to reach their levels moreso than he did in canon at this point. Some people in the past have accused me of not liking Syrus for some reason, probably because he's the butt of some comic relief scenes, so I hope that those concerns can be put to rest. I really don't hate any of the characters in GX who have any importance (except for those like Napoleon), they all have some sort of useful role in the story and generally have some sort of depth to them, so they're pretty much all fine in my book. I try to write them in my own way, with some different traits to them, but I don't intend to bash any of them. Hope we're clear on that.**

 **Also, I's like to announce now that story updates are going to be a bit thin on the ground these next few months (this chapter came out later than I'd like too). I've been working some increased hours at my job (around 60 a week), and I anticipate those long hours to continue until Tax day, since I do tax prep. I hate to make excuses, but it's just been hard lately man. I'm still going to write a little very day, and we'll update when we can. Believe me, I love writing this story, and it's grown to mean a lot to me. It's truly a passion, and I will not stop until it is finished. I'd like to think that this story has done something for this archive as well, after all thanks to your support we've become the number one story in favorites and follows, which is something I'm so thankful for. But for the next few months, its going to be harder to write. Thank you for understanding.**

 **On that note, I'd also like to say now that I will not be taking requests for OCs in this story at all. We have the plot fairly well outlined, and there are already a lot of moving parts and characters at play. I also cannot really beta read any stories at this point either, as I'm having enough difficulty trying to write my own story. Also, I generally do not co-author either, although I will not rule it out completely. Again, I do not mean this to be hurtful in any way. In fact I should have made this clear from the beginning, so my apologies for creating any faulty understanding. With that being said, I encourage others to write their own stories - do not be afraid to do so! Writing can be a very fulfilling thing, it's good for the soul.**

 **Man, this has been a bit of a downer, huh? Sorry, just want to communicate clearly. Thank you all for reading and I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	39. Destiny Still Arrives

Chapter 39: Destiny Still Arrives

Songs

Drake – God's Plan

Ping Pong the Animation OST – Like a Dance

Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix OST – Organization XIII Theme

"Aster, you look…tired." Sartorius said, even though Aster was to his back as he entered the overly bright chamber. Almost absentmindedly, he turned over a tarot card, revealing the Chariot.

"I'm fine." Aster said tersely.

Sartorius glanced at him. "Do not be careless with these nighttime excursions of yours. I am aware that you can take care of yourself, but you are an important piece of God's plan. And your pro career will surely suffer if you neglect your sleep."

"I'm not a child." Aster protested petulantly. "And they are more than excursions. I have a mission."

"I do not believe you will find what you seek in the inner city alleyways. Your quarry does not operate at such a level." Sartorius calmly reprimanded. "or could it be that these games are meant to relieve some anger on your part?"

Aster hated it when Sartorius asked rhetorical questions. Of course, since his mentor was awakened to a deeper reality, able to perceive God's plan, almost every question he ever asked was rhetorical. He could always find the answers in those tarot cards he liked so much.

Aster didn't answer the question, and Sartorius didn't turn around fast enough to hide the blossoming smirk on his doll-like face. He picked up the tarot card and displayed it to Aster. "I have been shown the Chariot – the symbol of perfect victory, and a familiar sight by now. Regarding your battle with Zane Truesdale tonight, I have no advice. Simply fight as you always have, and he will fall like all the rest."

Aster nodded, expecting this. "What's my schedule look like for next week?" He said, suddenly changing the subject.

"An interview with Duelist Network on Monday morning, but otherwise, nothing other than the usual training." Sartorius answered smoothly, unaffected by the abrupt change of topic.

"I will head back to Central Academy late next week, then." Aster said decisively.

Sartorius paused for a moment. "You desire another battle with Jaden Yuki." He said placidly.

"For him to walk around with the title of hero is an affront to my image. The two of us should not be placed on the same level in any respect, and I wish to make that clear. Do you disapprove?" Aster demanded.

However, Sartorius was as calm as ever. "Not at all. This is in accordance with God's will. The bond you and Jaden have will only help you grow stronger."

"That, I doubt. A duelist of his caliber will hardly help me improve. I merely wish to make clear the difference between us." Aster would never admit it, but Jaden's carefree attitude got under his skin immensely.

"As long as you continue on the path the light has illuminated for you, it matters little." Sartorius said dispassionately. "Take care that your pride does not lead you astray. It can be a powerful weapon, but only when tempered by faith. Jaden Yuki was a rival to the Kaiser, though Truesdale always stayed a step ahead of him in most respects. Keep that in mind during your duel."

Aster shrugged. "I will." Inwardly, he felt himself beginning to grow tired of plotting and waiting. He was a man of action, first and foremost.

XxXxXXxxXxXxXXxxXxXxxXXX

 _"Where's the lamb SAUCE?! WHERE'S THE LAMB SAUUUCE!"_ Chef Gordon Ramsey screamed from the television. As he was preparing to leave for his pro match against Aster Phoenix, Zane Truesdale was trying to finish the episode of Hell's Kitchen he had recorded a couple of days ago.

"Oh Gordon, you never cease to entertain me." Zane chuckled as he finished eating a hastily thrown together meal of gratinated eggs with parmesan cheese in a truffle sauce (it was only a hasty meal by Zane's insane standards). "Being a pro duelist has its own challenges, but at least I don't have to worry about the location of the lamb sauce."

He wasn't worried at all about his match tonight. In fact, he rather relished the chance to go up against a strong opponent. Aster Phoenix was undefeated, currently at a record of 30-0 in official matches. Zane was also undefeated, at 10-0. Tonight, only one of them would remain undefeated tonight, and Zane felt at the top of his game. He was totally confident in his deck, and his skills. As long as he didn't give into anger and dueled with his stated principles of honor and respect, he felt sure he could emerge with a victory.

He was finished getting ready. Zane's pro outfit was a simple black jacket and jeans – he preferred a simple, striking look, and his agents agreed that it would set him apart from the flashier rookies in the league. Zane didn't need frivolous aesthetics – his aggressive, beatdown style created enough of a spectacle for the audience.

For a moment, he found himself contemplative. People tended to react differently to leaving high school – there are many things about such an environment that cannot be reclaimed as one enters adulthood, for better or worse. Some rejoiced to be gone, others longed for those days.

Zane went out the best way he could have ever hoped to, the top ranked student in his class and the school. His dream of becoming a pro duelist was now a reality, and he even got to push his limits against the likes of Jaden and Jamie. The world was larger than he imagined, and so much more uncertain than school was. What was his place here, in the wild frontier?

Atticus was able to come to the game. Hopefully later, Zane would have time to hang out with his old friend before he had to return to the island. Atticus was always good for a laugh, if nothing else. He also wanted to hear how the others were doing – he regretted not getting to know some of them more. But these are the sacrifices that must be made in the service of the god named dream.

"Let's do this." He strapped on his duel disk and left for the arena.

XxxXXXXXXXXXXXXx

(Jasmine Makurada POV)

"Six Samurai Irou, attack her face-down monster!" Jasmine declared. The Obelisk Force was holding an optional third meeting for the week for those who wanted to get some extra practice in and watch Zane's big match afterwards. Although he was infamously aloof during his time as a student, Zane still commanded a great deal of respect from the second and third year Obelisks nonetheless. He was certainly an inspiration for Jasmine, though she would be lying if she didn't find him rather handsome as well.

"I'd rather he head the Obelisk Force than that prick Lancaster…" In her mind, there was no way that the arrogant, glory-seeking Jamie could ever eclipse the level-headed, calm charisma that Zane exuded effortlessly. Showboating in front of the dorm via his evisceration of Seika and Harrington only compounded that fact for her.

However, she had to grudgingly admit that his leadership style was beginning to become more accepted by the other Blues. Well, maybe not his leadership style so much as his undeniable power. Almost everyone in the dorm tried their luck against the Lion of Obelisk in a duel, and although some came very close (Jasmine herself being one of them) the only ones able to take games off of Jamie were Erin and Alexis. That was enough to keep the others in line. Jasmine wondered how his image would fare if someone were to discover a weakness…

But while many accepted the way things were run now, some were still discontent. Mindy, Jasmine's opponent, was one such example. Irou was able to destroy he Man-Eater Bug without triggering the flip monster's effect using its own ability. "Kamon, attack directly for game!" The red samurai lobbed a stick of dynamite at Mindy's feet, depleting her life points and ending the game in Jasmine's favor.

"Aww, not again!" Mindy pouted. "We used to be more even than this!"

"Sorry Mindy, but you know I've started taking dueling more seriously lately. I guess Bastion and the others have been a bigger influence than even I realized." Jasmine said with uncharacteristic patience while deactivating her duel disk. "I don't want to be just a follower of Alexis anymore. She's a great friend, but I need to be my own person."

"Man, I wish I had a hot boyfriend skilled at card games…" Mindy uttered a sentence no woman in real life would ever utter except for maybe the first half.

"Well, Lancaster is single, though I've noticed some of the girls around here eyeing him lately. Who knows, maybe that stupid joke about him being a harem protagonist might actually become reality." Jasmine tilted her head over to the Lion of Obelisk, who was currently watching the practice matches from the stairway with a stern gaze. By his side, Alexis was speaking to him in a low voice.

"Oh, I don't know Jazz, those two seem to be rather cozy lately…" Mindy said with a devious lilt.

"Tch!" Jasmine dignified the remark with a snort. "As if. If anything, Alexis probably likes Jaden. You remember how silly she was acting that night she dueled him at the lake? Bizarre was what it was." Despite her words, Jasmine suspected that Jamie and Alexis were perhaps more than friends as well, though she was loath to admit it even to herself.

"Hmm, maybe. But Jaden always seems so weird when it comes to that sort of stuff. I tease him all the time and he never even reacts." Mindy said absentmindedly, not realizing the implications of such a statement. "Either way, Lancaster's been kind of a dick lately, I wouldn't want to date him either. Come on Jasmine, don't you think that this whole Obelisk Force thing is a waste of time?"

Jasmine frowned. She couldn't agree with that. "What do you mean? We are at duel academy. Surely practicing and learning how to duel better is a good use of time. What else would we be doing?"

She already knew the answer – watching television dramas, keeping up with celebrity gossip, talking about boys (even more than they were already), and all of the other useless activities they filled their days with before. Jasmine was growing increasingly uncomfortable with that life. She was a second year at a private school that her parents were paying out the ass for, and how was she using this opportunity? She was an average student and a far below average duelist before meeting Bastion, on track to a mediocre future.

She didn't want that now. Against her will, she had grown enamored with the intrigue and danger that seemed to surround the top students at the academy. While she and Mindy were talking about schoolgirl drama, Jaden became the hero of their class, Alexis took back her brother's memory, Zane soared to great heights in the pro leagues, Jamie and Bastion interned at Kaibacorp, even Syrus was advancing in rank. She wanted to be like them, somehow. Turning her back on the things she used to enjoy seemed a small sacrifice when she thought of who she could be with a little more effort.

"Finish up your matches, then let's head to the commons to watch the pro match!" Jamie called out. Mindy looked relieved to be finished, but Jasmine was just getting started, and would have rather enjoyed going longer. But soon, she gathered her things and left to watch the pro match as well.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

We set up as many couches and chairs as we could muster, gathered in front of the big flat screen television in the Obelisk Blue common area between the girls and boys dorms. A few Ra Yellow students even came over, having some connections among the Blues. Before I knew it, a party was in the works. Adam Sugihara, well-known amongst the top students, showed up about ten minutes before the game started and even made idle chit-chat with some girls. I meant to go talk to him, but I got caught up getting some food and refreshments ready for everyone. After getting some bowls of popcorn and glasses of (spiked) punch ready, I made my way over to him.

"Hey, how's it going, man! I'm sorry we haven't caught up much yet, I'm sure you've got some stories to tell about the summer." Adam said jovially, smoothly pivoting away from the group he was making conversation with just a moment ago.

"I'm sure you have your fair share as well. It's good to see you. Sorry about leaving you by yourself over at Rosewood's shop." I said with a grimace.

"Not a problem, I heard how you dusted his ass right after the opening feast. He probably would have fired you anyways after that, so it was a good thing you resigned. I wouldn't count on having him as a reference on your resume, though." Adam casually sipped on what appeared to be Sprite, the only real question being if it was mixed with Gin or Vodka.

"Heh, I guess I'll just have to rely on that little internship I did instead." I chuckled a bit arrogantly, but Adam didn't mind.

"I know what you mean. I actually quit working there as well." Adam casually flicked some hair out of his eyes as my eyebrows raised. "I came into a bit of a windfall this summer while I worked at my dad's casino."

"It wouldn't have anything to do with those new cards, wouldn't it?" He saved me the trouble of getting to that particular point. "I'm surprised you aren't getting a little more attention considering none of those cards have been released to the public. They haven't even been announced."

Adam leaned in conspiratorially. "Well, let's just say your assumption that I had an interesting summer was quite true. Now, you might find this hard to believe, but I actually won these cards in a bet of sorts."

I scoffed. "You really are a one-trick pony, you know that? You should get some other hobbies before someone schedules an intervention. Luckily for you, I'm too busy to do that."

"Nothing else would give me the same rush, and in this case, it paid off. I'm not the one practically drooling over some new cards." He countered, and I had no rejoinder in waiting. Pausing, he continued. "As I was saying, I won these in a bet. As you can imagine, I met many interesting people while I was waiting tables and dealing cards."

"I can imagine." I had an urge to say something a little spicier than that, but I held my tongue.

"My dad's casino also happens to sell duel monsters cards, and its not unusual to see some patrons trading cards or comparing binders while they're waiting for a table to open. I noticed a guy hustling some other players, making himself out to be bad while challenging people to ante games. I don't know why, but he was really on the hunt for rare cards, and I had never seen the cards he was using before. I watched it happen for a while, since I was just getting off my shift. Once I was sure he was not only hustling, but using what seemed to be counterfeit cards to do it, I called security to kick him out."

My brows furrowed more and more as he continued. "Security went to escort him out, but the guy threw them off with ease and sent them flying! It was insane, bro! This guy was actually a duel spirit, steeped in that weird duel energy like Banner and the Shadow Riders were."

"What?! What on earth was a duel spirit even doing there? And what duel spirit was it?" I nearly shouted, only keeping my voice down because of the present company.

"It was of Sand Gambler, and apparently he's an agent for someone named Mr. Volcano. Considering you and Bastion were attacked by duel spirits this summer too, I think they're all coordinated. This one was probably an agent of "Yubel" or whatever Jasmine said." Adam spoke casually, as if he didn't emerge victorious against an agent of a universal threat.

"That's fucking crazy! Why didn't you tell us about this earlier?!" I demanded.

"Eh, I kinda forgot about it, to be honest, I mean it happened in June, a lot's happened since then." Adam shrugged. "The point is, he was using these cards – Desperado Barrel Dragon and stuff like that. He didn't have a use for them after I was finished with him, so I decided to pick them up. They already fit with my style anyways."

My indignity was mastered by incredulity – his audacity even surpassed mine at times. Perhaps that's why we got on so well. "Ha! Well done, you amaze me. But how…surely Industrial Illusions and the school must have something to say about you having one of a kind cards?"

"Well, it's not like people haven't had one of a kind cards before. We all know how Kaiba is with Blue-Eyes. Not to mention the three Egyptian God cards used in Battle City." Adam and I moved over the window for a bit of privacy. "So I struck a deal with Industrial Illusions. They're printing these cards in the next main set, which is coming out at the end of the month. Until September 30, I'm basically doing promo on their behalf, getting students excited about the new product. And I'm getting a decent stipend out of the deal."

"I see. So you're an ambassador of sorts, for this one instance at least." Shill could also be an accurate descriptor, but I wasn't one to judge – it was a good idea, and a good way to avoid any legal trouble in the process. I assume Pegasus or one of his men thought of this. If Kaiba didn't know about this, he would soon.

It got me thinking – if Adam could away with this shit, then maybe I could get away with using my Melodious cards in public as well if I made a similar deal with Pegasus. It would be a huge relief – at least one secret's weight would be off my shoulders.

But as I thought more on it, it didn't seem like such a good idea. If Kaiba found out that I had such powerful cards at my disposal, there's no way he would let me release them to the public. Hell, he would probably try to take them for himself and jealously hoard their power. And the questions I would get from my friends would be dangerous…I would have to be extremely careful either way. Perhaps I should wait for Sonata to return from the spirit world, which would hopefully be soon. She had been gone for a long time now…

"Yeah, that's pretty much it. I'm not really getting any credit for this, but I'm not bothered. Better to be rich than famous, in my opinion." Adam chuckled easily.

"Well, good for you man." I said lamely. His story served as a reminder of how limited my knowledge had become. Before the silence became awkward, the television announced the beginning of the match.

XxXxxxXxXXxxXxxxXxX

"Ladies and gentlemen, in this corner I present to you the heir to the Cyber Legacy, the Kaiser of Central Duel Academy, and a strong contender for rookie of the year, its Zane Truesdale!" The typically hammy announcer called out as the Cyber Dragon duelist took the stage of the Tokyo Dueling Center. A part of him still couldn't believe that he was selling out one of the biggest arenas in the country only four months out of school.

And yet…he felt calm. Since he entered the pros, the inner rage that had threatened to consume him during the battle with Titan had never once threatened to resurface. He was ready to fight honorably, like always.

"And in this corner, the sharp dressed and sharp tongued hero duelist that is also a strong contender for rookie of the year, Aster Phoenix!" The shorter introduction was deliberate – since Aster had been in the game longer, more people knew who he was and what he was about. Zane's adversary was quite a bit shorter than him, but he carried himself with an unshakeable sense of purpose and conviction. A ghost of a smirk played on his lips, and there was no doubt that this duelist was absolutely confident in his talents.

"Watch out, Truesdale! You fuck with Aster, you might as well fuck with God!" A heckler coarsely spat from the lower stands. Zane paid the words no mind. Everyone knew that Aster Phoenix was a religious man, though he identified with no denomination that Zane had ever heard of. Surely there's no way that God, fate, the universe, or whatever you wish to call it could actually be on Aster's side…right?

The two professionals met in the center of the ring to shake hands and cut each other's decks. "It's a pleasure to finally face you in battle, mister Truesdale. I apologize for some of my fans' behavior. They are very supportive of me, and in their enthusiasm, they sometimes treat my opponents rudely." Aster said, cool as a cucumber. His voice was annoyingly soft – Zane could only just make out his words.

"It's no problem." Zane said politely, handing Aster his cards back after shuffling them. "I'm used to such things. It's just a bit of hype, right?"

Aster's lips nearly formed a smile. "Well, I don't think so." At Zane's confused expression, Aster elaborated, "They are right. I have God's Light on my side. My faith has given me everything I have, and it has guided me true every single time. This duel will be no exception."

"Oh?" Zane chuckled in spite of himself. "You buy into your own hype, huh? I don't think that is wise. In any case, you shouldn't underestimate me. A half-hearted effort will result in a quick defeat."

Aster stared him down with an odd smile. "I'll keep those words in mind, mister Truesdale." With that, he turned about-face and took his position. Zane was utterly befuddled at his opponent's attitude. It was different than mere arrogance – it was born of zealotry. Just who was this guy?

He took his position as well. "BEGIN!" The announcer…announced the beginning of the match. Aster won the coin toss and elected to go first. _"Surely he must know that my deck benefits from going second…what is his game?"_ Zane worried.

"I'll start by summoning **Elemental Hero Stratos (1800/300)** in attack mode." The blue-armored turbine hero took the field, the steady whir of the propellers on his back creating a tense white noise. "When this monster is summoned, I can add a Hero monster from my deck to my hand. Then, I'll set two cards face-down and end my turn."

Zane was unsurprised at the presence of an elemental hero. _"All in all, a rather bland first turn."_ Zane felt confident that he could prevail, as long he trusted in his cards.

"I'll start by activating **Mystical Space Typhoon** to destroy one of your face-down cards." Zane intoned, blwoing away Aster's face-down Guard Penalty with a sudden storm.

"Next, since you have a monster on the field, I can special summon **Cyber Dragon (2100/1600)** to the field!" Zane's familiar slithered onto the field, its chrome plating shimmering in the stadium lights. Just as he looked unsurprised at Aster's monster, the silver-haired duelist looked the same at the Cyber Dragon.

Fearless of the remaining face-down, Zane launched an attack with the Cyber Dragon, the wyrm shooting a strident blue laser at Stratos. Aster considered allowing the attack to pass through, and ultimately decided to, opting to conserve his face down. Sratos was vaporized by the blast, sending a spray of glimmering photons towards the upper seats. **(Aster 3700/Zane 4000)**

"And with that, the Kaiser takes the first blow!" With the announcer's words, Zane's side of the crowd lit up with excitement, but the man himself remained stolid. "He let me attack…that face-down might come up later."

Aster's placid smile never left his face. "A daring move." He said in that damnably soft voice. "I should have known that you would summon that Cyber Dragon." And yet, Zane wondered if Aster really didn't think of it, or if this statement was strategic misdirection.

"With a face-down, my turn ends." The Kaiser said brusquely.

Aster silently drew his next card. Neither duelist was indulging in very much showmanship, but the crowd expected this, and instead paid attention to the smaller signs that would give each of their positions away. "I activate **Fusion Sage** , allowing me to add Polymerization to my hand."

"Now, I'll fuse Elemental Heroes Avian and Burstinatrix together to summon… **Elemental Hero Phoenix Enforcer (2100/1200)**!" Now this was contrary to Zane's expectations. Rather than summoning Flame Wingman, Aster had decided to summon a new monster using the same materials – such a thing wasn't unheard of, although it was rare. This new monster, rather than having the dragon's head merged with one of its hands, had three sharp talons protruding from its knuckles. It was a decidedly masculine, human appearance compared to the more dragon-like look of Flame Wingman. Their battle powers were the same though.

Even beyond its resemblance to Flame Wingman, something about this monster seemed familiar…Zane could have sworn he saw something like this in the news these past few days – something about a vigilante dressed as a duel monster hunting criminals on the streets of Tokyo. Apprehending some, killing others. Before he could dwell on the connection his mind made though, Zane's focus was forcibly returned to the duel.

"Phoenix Enforcer attacks Cyber Dragon!" The hero monster's body became wreathed in flame, streaking wildly as he tackled Zane's creature. The Cyber Dragon's plating melted and its circuits fried, but the Phoenix Enforcer remained unscathed, despite the fact that they were of the same battle power.

"I could have summoned Flame Wingman, but Phoenix Enforcer is more suited for this, since he cannot be destroyed by battle." Aster explained, mostly for the audience's benefit.

Zane shrugged, getting his head back in the game. "A clever idea."

"Thank you. That is high praise from the Kaiser." Aster said in a voice that might have been sarcastic, but maybe not. It was as if the guy got his rocks off from being cryptic. "I end my turn."

Zane drew, now feeling as if he had the pieces he needed to finish this. No more dwelling on meanings and strange words. Zane's style was to march forward and higher, heedless of the petty dramas and neuroses that limited most.

"It's my turn now! First, I'll play **Card of Sanctity**! Then, I'll start my combo off by playing **Cyber Repair Plant** , allowing me to add a Light Machine monster from my deck to my hand. Next, I'll summon **Cyber Dragon Drei (1800/800)**!" This Cyber Dragon was thinner than the alpha, with yellow electricity coursing through its body.

"And now…I'll cast the magic of **Power Bond**!" A roar followed the activation of Zane's infamous fusion spell, a card that had grown synonymous with total victory.

"I fuse the Cyber Dragon Drei on the field with two Cyber Dragons in my hand to summon this! The culmination of the cyber legacy, a shimmering silver beast that paves a chrome pathway to the future! Fusion summon!" Zane raised a hand skyward. " **Cyber End Dragon (4000/2800)**!"

The lights in the stadium seemed to flicker before the overwhelmingly bright and chrome body of the three-headed Cyber Dragon lit up the stage. A gust of wind blasted from the epicenter of the hydra's aura. Even as the crowd ooh and ahhed, Aster only mustered a wan smile in the face of an incredibly powerful boss monster, boosted to 8000 attack points due to Power Bond's effect.

"He is quite confident he can finish this in one blow." Aster spoke about Zane as if he wasn't right there.

The three heads of the Cyber End Dragon triangulated, each looking directly at the suddenly small Elemental Hero Phoenix Enforcer. "This is the end!" Zane didn't know what made him to go for the victory so soon. Was he possessed by some of Jaden's recklessness? Or had his opponent's strange words unsettled him to the point where he felt he must lash out? Zane could only hope that what had worked before would work again, and he could put this night behind him.

"Cyber End Dragon, attack Elemental Hero Phoenix Enforcer with Super Strident Blaze!" If the attack went through, Aster would be dealt a cool 5900 in battle damage, which would end the duel regardless of Phoenix Enforcer's survival. Three enormous laser beams converged into one gargantuan stream, slowly setting upon the hero like a comet headed for the planet's surface.

Aster nodded. "Enough. I activate the reverse card **Magic Cylinder** , negating your attack and dealing it back to you as effect damage." The trap had recently seen a price drop, and it had become a more common inclusion in some decks, oftentimes enough to steal a victory from the jaws of defeat. But when Zane saw the trap revealed, it reminded him of when Jamie used it to defeat Chazz in a single turn, and how that one move set the Black Thunderbolt on a irreversible, completely different path.

 _"A sudden reversal…this card can decide destinies. But it won't decide mine!"_ Zane vowed. "I activate my own trap, Barrel Behind the Door! This card can be activated in response to an effect that would inflict damage. Any damage that would be done to me is instead applied to you!" Zane suspected that something like this would happen, and decided to tech in a copy of this counter trap for a sudden reversal of his own.

"That was a clever idea." Aster said as if read Zane's mind. "But I anticipated that you would anticipate this. What enables a wise duelist, or a good player of games in general for that matter, is the ability to perceive what the opponent will do next. To know his mind is the key to victory. The academics call this ability "Yomi". Normally, it is something gained through mastery of a game's mechanics and taught by experience. However, my perception is beyond that which can be attained via earthly means. Logic, strategy, deception…all of these pale before the vision that the Light grants me." The silver-haired boy spoke calmly, even as the Cyber Dragon's attack roared. "Activate reverse card, **Trap Jammer**."

Zane couldn't remember the last time he had been so completely taken by surprise, so utterly dumbfounded. Cyber End Dragon's attack was purely holographic in nature, and yet it seemed to hit Zane like a freight train. The Kaiser was speechless in defeat. **(Aster 3700/Zane 0)**

The crowd was similarly stunned into silence for a brief period before Aster's fan brigade broke out into exultant cheers. The same rude fan from earlier shouted what seemed to be his favored catchphrase.

"You fuck with Aster, you might as well fuck with God!"

Aster turned around, and although Zane couldn't see his face, he could tell that he was smirking. "There is little either of us could have done about this outcome – everything was decided beforehand, the two of us little more than leaves swept along by the current of fate. But still, you should have known. After all, a half-hearted effort results in a quick defeat." With that, the hero duelist departed from the stage, never looking back at his fallen foe.

XxXxXXxxxxXXxxxXxxxXXXXXXx

(?)

In the purple and grey hellscape of the Dark World, Yubel's forces were on the march once more. Steadily and relentlessly, they marched west, encroaching ever closer to the Mad King Brron's citadel. Within the year, Yubel desired a vacant throne upon which Jaden would sit. "He will sit that throne," she vowed to the inner circle, "even if I must slaughter his friends and family to the last, even if every fiber of his spirit must be broken and built up again, we will be together again."

Blade Knight was not so starry-eyed about Jaden Yuki's prospects a ruler, his prospects as Yubel's lover even less so. But he fought not for the sake of those goals, but rather his own. And those that saw the knight on the battlefield knew that he fought with an unbending tenacity that rivaled even Yubel's. Blade Knight was far less…enthused about killing than Yubel was, but he was skilled at it nonetheless.

And so, after his recovery, he found himself back in the war tents, planning the movements of the force assigned to his command. Well-worn maps were laid about the center of a table, Blade Knight's expansive tent lit solely by candles. Strategizing with him were two burly ogres, identical in all respects but for color – one's hide a swampy green, the other a burnished red. Other duel spirits were in the tent as well, the council numbering about eight in total.

"Swamp Battleguard, Lava Battleguard." Blade Knight said neutrally. "We find our attention occupied between the nearby rebel holdfast and the Bloody Bridge. Yubel wants the rebels killed to the last man, but as we all know, her…ill humors often cause needless losses. I would have your counsel on how to proceed."

"You would disobey an order from Master Yubel?" Swamp Battleguard questioned, Lava Battleguard looking at the knight quizzically as well. The two ogres were fairly proficient warriors, but independent thinkers they were not.

"Yubel is not my master. And it was a strongly phrased suggestion, not an order." Blade Knight countered.

"I have heard that Master Yubel's war demons took heavy losses at the hands of general Silva. The townsfolk resistance has taken up arms against us as well, cutting our supply lines to the south. Time is not on our side. We should cross the bridge and work from there." Lava Battleguard spoke up. Before Blade Knight could respond to that, the tent flaps rustled, heralding visitors.

Two goblins hauled in a woman, who was hog-tied and gagged. She was slight of build, and yet immense power could be sensed by those few demons with the ability to perceive duel energy. The most striking thing about her was her vibrantly colored hair and clothes, especially in this dark place.

"Pardon, Blade Knight. We captured an enemy scout." One of the goblins said. Hastily, Blade Knight turned over the maps.

Swamp Battleguard rested a hand on the hilt of his spiked club, which hung in a sling at his hip. "Ha! Don't worry, Blade Knight. The bitch won't be leaving this tent with her head."

As Blade Knight got a better look at her, he seemed to stiffen. "Where did you find her?" He ground out.

"On the ridge to the southwest. She appeared to be counting." The same goblin reported.

Slowly, Blade Knight walked around the table to look at the captive squarely. His armor clanked as he did so, each step practically booming as the rest to the tent stayed silent.

"I see. I thought you looked familiar. I am surprised that we meet again so soon, Sonata the Melodious Diva."

 **(A/N)**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. A Happy Valentine's Day to you all as well.**

 **Now, I know what you're thinking – why write a canon duel if the result is the same? I normally don't like to do that, but here there are not only some crucial differences, but I also think this is important to develop Aster and Zane's characters. As you saw, Zane pretty much got bamboozled for the first time in a duel, and Aster really didn't have to do much. This was an enormously pivotal moment for Zane's character in canon, and it will be here as well, so I didn't want to leave it out. So what will he do from here, taking into the account the differences the character has shown from canon? Perhaps he'll drop out from dueling and become a chef, go on Gordon Ramsey's show, haha. And what will Aster do now? He's a strange one, even I don't know for sure. And finally, we hear back from Sonata after more than ten chapters, only to find she's seemingly been captured by Yubel's army. Definitely not an ideal situation, to say the least.**

 **Also, maybe later on I'll write a side chapter about Adam's little encounter with a duel spirit over the summer. I mainly included that to show the walls between dimensions breaking down, as well as to highlight Jamie's lack of future knowledge as time goes on. But it could make a fun one-shot! If this were an anime, I'd call it State of the Meta OVA: Sugihara Shinden! But as is, I'd like to focus on the main plotline.**

 **We're only two months away from Tax Day! Thank Ra!**


	40. My Elemental Hero Academia

Chapter 40: My Elemental Hero Academia

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

Most of the living room hadn't even finished their first drinks by the time it was over. The Kaiser was a paragon of Obelisk Blue, an exemplar of skill, technique, and more than anything else, honor. Despite his cold and aloof nature, he had become a role model for his peers, and now he was on both knees, stung speechless by this complete and total defeat.

"Wha…what happened?" Alexis gaped, uncomprehending of the situation's reality.

"There's no way…the Kaiser shouldn't lose like that!" Jasmine hissed, and funnily enough, she gave me a glare, as if this was my fault somehow. She was unwise to make her dislike of me so obvious. It was amusing in the past, but over time it had become irritating, and my patience had limits. I had a feeling that she was comparing me to Zane, perhaps rueful that I was not the one humbled in defeat this day.

"God damn it, Truesdale, I was really banking on that attack going through." Adam grumbled as he forked over a bill to a smug-looking Obelisk who decided to pay school spirit no mind and bet on Aster.

"It wasn't even close…Aster had an answer for everything Zane did." Erin grimaced. "It kinda makes you wonder if he really does have some sort of special power. It wouldn't be the first time we've seen something like that."

As usual, Erin's initial assumptions struck close to the truth. She was a sharp one. I was more interested in Aster's demeanor. I remembered in the canon series that he was moreso an arrogant prodigy who bandied about the words Destiny and Fate as a way to hype his image. But this Aster was different - he seemed to really believe what he was saying. If he was a true zealot, how would this affect things moving forward? Could he still be an ally, or would he simply become another foe on the horizon, like Chazz?

 _"Everything is getting worse all the time…"_ I wish Sonata was here. I really wanted to talk to someone with my guard down for a change. Perhaps, after all of my battles against duel spirits, I was wrong to trust one. But I wanted to let someone into my heart again. Even amongst those on the island I call friends, I could never be completely open. Alexis was the one I had to be most careful with, since I had chosen get into a relationship with her. It wasn't fair to keep my heart guarded from her when she shared hers with me, but I still couldn't let myself trust. _"Why can't I trust them?"_

I noticed that many of the Obelisks were looking at me expectantly. "How do you think you'd fare against Aster, Lancaster?" The snake Seika asked with faux innocence, shit testing me whiel she played with her short black hair.

I pounded the rest of my beer to give myself a few extra seconds of thinking. I expect I'll found out how I stack up to Aster soon enough. "Mister Phoenix is clearly very talented. Seeing him fight has given me much to think on, and more importantly, it has inspired me to train even harder. All I can hope for is to be as ready as possible, should the day ever come when mister Phoenix and I find ourselves on the dueling field." I replied diplomatically. Seika nodded and got off my case. People milled around and talked for a while before slowly trickling out to parties or back to their rooms. Alexis and the others went over to the Slifer dorm for a party while I retired early, citing a faint, vague feeling of sickness.

 _"Zane…"_ I thought of my friend. "I hope this time you are able to stay on the right path. Atticus, please get through to him somehow." I thought of how the Kaiser smiled and even laughed at times during out practice games, only for those memories to morph into images of the man he would later become, a man who enjoyed his opponent's pain, a man who spat on honor and worshipped at the altar of victory. _"I won't let that happen. And if you do give into wrath, Zane…don't be surprised when my own wrath flares in kind."_

XXxxXXXxxXxXXXXXxxxX

Atticus got to Zane's apartment to find the Kaiser on the couch, a blanket over his head and a half-eaten tub of mint chocolate ice cream in his hands. Kitchen Nightmares played out on the television, Zane's eyes dully focused on the screen.

 _"Good lord, he acts like a girl who just got dumped by her boyfriend."_ Atticus thought, wisely not voicing that opinion. Zane did not acknowledge Atticus' presence at first, determinedly shoveling hefty spoonfuls of ice cream into his mouth.

"Uh, Zane? What's going on, big guy?" Atticus slowly closed the door, having let himself in once he realized it was unlocked. "You really should lock your door, man."

Zane shifted, causing the blanket to slip off of his head, revealing that he was wearing pajama pants and a Domino City Community College sweatshirt. Otherwise, he continued to ignore Atticus.

Atticus set his bag down and took a seat on the couch. "Listen man, it was one loss. Just one! You'll survive. You weren't gonna be undefeated forever. Hell, even Yugi Moto's lost a game or two in his career, it's nothing to be ashamed of." Although now that he thought of it, Atticus couldn't recall a public occurrence of Yugi actually losing. If the King of Games ever did lose, Atticus didn't know it.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Atticus. It was an embarrassing performance." Zane finally acknowledged his longtime friend with an apology.

Atticus knew Zane was in a bad way with those words. The Kaiser rarely ever apologized – he was a man of pride, like so many duelists. Something about the game attracted confident people who wanted to be the best. For him to say something like that clued Atticus in to his friend's mindset in a big way.

"Hey, it's alright. You're the Kaiser, the best duelist of our class! You'll bounce back stronger." Atticus said with attempted buoyancy.

"I failed. I'm a failure. He knew everything about me, everything, before the duel even started. How can I compete with that? Do I even belong in the pros?" Zane moped, leaning back into the couch and staring at the ceiling fan.

"Come on man, Aster Phoenix may be a rookie too, but he's been in a pros a little longer than you have. That experience may have made the difference. He just had good draws, that's all." Atticus slowly took away the ice cream from him. Zane would get sick if he ate any more of that.

"No, no, no. He knew. It was destiny. God chose him to win. God didn't choose me. God hates me." Zane muttered like he was in a trance.

"Oh for the love of Ra, God does not hate you just because you lost a card game once. Phoenix just says that crap to build his image and intimidate his opponents. Pro wrestlers do it all the time." Atticus was a big fan of Edge back in the day. "Are you really gonna let him live in your head rent-free? That's not the Zane I know." At this point, Atticus was just trying to talk Zane down from the metaphorical ledge by appealing to his ego.

"What happened to my ice cream?" Zane suddenly wondered, looking around for the tub.

"No. No more ice cream. You need to pull it together here, buddy." Atticus scolded lightly.

"But I want ice cream." Zane pouted.

"You can have ice cream after we talk this out, okay?" Atticus talked slowly, treating Zane like a small child. "This isn't the first time you've lost a game, right? You've lost to Jamie during practice, isn't that right?"

"Yeah…but that was different." Zane responded obstinately.

"How is it different? Your life points hit zero both times, didn't they?" Atticus said a bit sarcastically as he neared his wits end.

"Well, that wasn't a pro game. And whenever Jamie won, it was always close. It was never this bad." Zane was seemingly inconsolable. Something about Aster's eerie, detached demeanor had fucked with his head something fierce. Or was there some supernatural energy at play here? Atticus was all too familiar with that. But he couldn't tell if that was it or if Zane was just being a drama queen.

"Well, maybe you need to go back to the drawing board and think of some new strategies. Maybe try some new card ratios." _"Like normal people do."_ Atticus added mentally. "You can turn this into something positive. You have to, or else it'll weigh you down forever."

This actually seemed to get through to Zane. His dull eyes suddenly focused as an idea occurred to him. "Perhaps I have grown too predictable…it may time to go back to the dojo." He postulated.

"Huh? The Cyber Art Dojo?" Atticus said in surprise.

"Yes….the place I first received the Cyber Dragon cards. It's a remote gym where young duelists learn the game. I spent a year there as a boy – I could afford to since I skipped a grade in school. It was before we met, but that was where I learned how to play the game." Zane explained, never having a reason to do so to Atticus before.

"No kidding! No wonder you were so good, even as a kid!" Atticus was just happy that Zane was devising a plan of action, even if he didn't fully understand what the end goal was. "So you think there's a way to upgrade your deck there?"

"Yes, indeed. I was told that the Cyber End Dragon was the strongest of its kind, but even as a child I knew that something lied beyond it. Something beyond the power of most Duel Monsters cards. And now that the boy has become a man, I intend to find out what my teachers were hiding from me. And then, I will seize that power for myself." Zane muttered.

"What teachers?" Atticus asked, not picking up on his friend's dark thoughts.

Zane quit slumping, sitting upright now. "Sheppard used to teach at the dojo before he became Kaiba's administrative lackey. Once upon a time, he used to be able to duel as well. I wonder if he has returned to the dojo as well, now that Kaiba's shitcanned him."

"Wait, Sheppard used to duel? Then why didn't he take up arms against the Shadow Riders?" Atticus questioned. He was remarkably comfortable with the subject considering he used to be a Shadow Rider himself.

"Evidently he either lacked the strength or the will to do so. He placed that burden on his schoolchildren instead." Zane replied sharply. He didn't speak of it at the time, but with time, the Kaiser began to think poorly of his old headmaster and his refusal to fight. In his world, there were warriors and bystanders – to be one or the other was fine, but to stand in the middle was loathsome.

"What will you do if you find Sheppard there?" Atticus felt like he was playing twenty questions with how many he was asking of Zane.

Zane was standing now, a new fire in his eyes. "I will ask him why he didn't live by the principles he taught me. I will ask him why those principles have failed me when I needed them the most. And then, I will ask him to show me the dojo's secrets." Then, he turned to his old friend. "I want you to come with me, Atticus."

The request caught Atticus completely off-guard. "Huh? What are you saying? You know I can't, I have classes. I'm already a year behind you, bro." The Red-Eyes duelist said with gentle humor to obscure his confusion.

"It shouldn't take long. I'll order the plane tickets now. And besides, what's a few days of classes anyways? You're a smart guy. I've heard you're one of the top five duelists in Obelisk. Aren't you an officer in Jamie's little club?" Zane pressed.

"Yeah, I am. Who told you that, anyways?"

"Syrus. I gave him a call a little while ago. He's been promoted to Ra Yellow. I couldn't be more proud of him." Zane said with a small smile. "It's the duty of big brothers to give their younger siblings something to chase after, right? I must keep improving as well."

"Hehe, yeah, Syrus is starting to come into his own, that's for sure. But I don't get why you need my help for this." Atticus responded.

Zane shrugged. "It'd be like old times. I haven't got to see you much since your recovery. I thought this might be a good opportunity. The two of us, on a grand adventure."

Atticus had to smile – Zane didn't show his warm side to many. "I really appreciate that man, but you know I can't. For now, my place is the island. Besides – " He thought of Mackenzie. "- there's a girl whose caught my eye there."

"Ha! I should have known." Zane said. "In that case, I'll see you when I return to the island. Once I have my new powers, I'll need someone to test them against. I'm sure Jamie will appreciate the chance for a good fight, though I doubt he will like the outcome."

"I'll let him know that." Atticus smiled, glad that Zane seemingly was back to his old self. "Best of luck in your journey. And be careful." Zane knew what that meant.

"I know. I still remember that duel with the shadow rider, I believe his name was Titan. I've seen what happens to those who surrender to their darkest impulses. I won't let it happen to me, I'm smart enough to know it could happen. I know it's something I'll have to struggle with, but I won't become like that man."

Atticus nodded solemnly. Zane strode over to his cabinets and silently poured two shots of whiskey. Handing one to Atticus, they drank the liquor to seal a trust.

"Thanks for talking with me, man. It's funny – as kids we're always taught not to fear failure, but I never took that lesson to heart. In a way, it's comforting to know that there is still a ways to go on my path. I can dream of greater heights again."

"We've still an ocean of paths before us – we have the right to dream."

The two friends talked the night away before Atticus flew back to Central Academy the following day.

XXxxXxxxxxXXxxxxxxx

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

On Monday, I went about my routine, doing schoolwork and exercising mechanically, all the while waiting for Aster Phoenix's interview with Dueling Network. I went to sleep before the interview actually happened, since it was rather late at night. I watched it on my laptop, enjoying a quiet morning alone in my room as the late summer breeze swept through the open window. There was something about the early morning I always loved – I suppose it represents the start of something new, a clean slate of sorts.

The interview was posted on DN's website. The reporter seemed rather excited, while Aster Phoenix's expression was as placid as ever.

"Mister Phoenix, it's a pleasure to have you on again. Congratulations on your victory last Friday. I am always amazed at how you seem to know what to do at every turn. Truly, you're an incredible talent. How do you do it?" The reporter gushed, stopping just short of sucking him off right there in the studio. No, I wasn't jealous or anything, why do you ask?

"Thank you, that's kind of you to say." Aster replied casually, his posture perfect, yet relaxed. "I suppose I just try to do my best to keep up with the meta. I have faith in God, faith that He will show the right way on the dueling field."

"You certainly are not shy about integrating your faith into your public persona. I apologize if this is a silly question, but are you a Christian? What denomination are you?" The reporter asked.

"No, that's quite alright. I am not a Christian. I realize I may come off that way to those who are unfamiliar with me. I actually worship the Lord of Light." Aster said calmly.

"Ah, I see. Forgive me, I haven't heard of that religion. Could you tell us more about it?"

"It's a small, but growing faith. I joined the church shortly after my parents died. I fear I cannot describe it adequately in this short a time frame. I implore you and the viewers of this program look into it, though." Aster deflected.

 _"Oh, I'm planning on looking into it, alright."_ I thought grimly. _"Your boy Sartorius is fucked the minute he sets foot on this island, Aster."_

"Changing gears a little, I've heard that you'll be out of the country this week. Is your upcoming trip for business, or is it a personal matter?"

Aster considered the seemingly simple question longer than expected. "I suppose it is a personal matter." He said stiffly.

"How interesting! So what do you have planned? Some island getaway with a secret lover or what? C'mon, spill!" The reporter began to spin tabloid headlines.

"Oh, nothing fun like that, I assure you." Aster replied demurely.

"You are a tough nut to crack, mister Phoenix. We'll be right back after the break!"

I set the computer down. I had seen enough. Aster wasn't going to say anything interesting – nothing I didn't already know, besides. Although he seemed to be a bit more polite here than he was in canon.

XxXxXxxXxxXXxxxxXxXX

I found Jaden at one of the school's duel arenas. He was sparring with Bastion, who appeared to be on the back foot. I stood in the entryway for a minute, watching Jaden defeat Bastion with a direct attack from Elemental Hero Great Tornado.

"Gotcha! That's game, Bastion." The red hero grinned, making his trademark gesture at his opponent. No, not the middle finger, it's this thing where he points his index and middle finger at his opponent. I don't know, man.

"As usual, you are a hard one to pin down, Jaden." Bastion took his lumps with dignity. "One day, I'll develop a formula for your deck that works."

"I'll be waiting when that day comes, buddy! Did you like that, Jamie?" Jaden turned slightly, and I caught the corner of his eye.

"I only caught the end of it, I'm afraid. I have no doubt it was a spirited performance as always." I said politely. "The both of you would be a welcome upgrade to the Blues."

"I've thought about that." Bastion said with a sigh as he deactivated his duel disk. "I may finally apply next term. A lot of seniors are graduating, and many spots in the Blue dorm will open as a result. It may be time to see how the blue coat suits me."

"It'd be great to have you, man. What about you, Jaden?" I already knew the answer, but I felt the need to badger him anyways.

"No way man, I hear you're running a tight ship over there. The Slifer dorm is way more chill! Besides, red's my favorite color!" He chuckled. "What's up?"

"I was hoping to have a word with you, actually." I said, and he nodded. Bidding Bastion farewell, we began to walk and talk. For a few minutes, we made some banter about how his viewing party went, before arriving at the point.

"I've never seen anything like that happen to Zane. I mean, that was bad. Worse than my first game against him, that's for sure. Have you ever beat him like that?" Jaden asked.

"No. It was always closer than that, at least. Aster never lost control of the match for a second. And I doubt that this will be the last we hear of him, either. Did you see his interview with Dueling Network?" I replied as we walked down the main pathway leading away from the school.

"I did. It was really boring, he just deflected the reporter's questions the entire time." Jaden yawned.

"Well, except for the part where he's coming back to the island this week. And I think I know why." I said seriously.

"How? Did you talk about it with Kaiba?" Jaden asked.

"If I told you, I would be violating my nondisclosure agreement. But I can say that I got this info from a reliable source." That reliable source being my knowledge of the canon series. However, the growing awareness that I was working for Kaiba in some capacity was proving to be a convenient excuse for my intel being what it is. "He's coming for you. He wants to duel you again, and this time he won't be using some testing deck."

"How do you figure?" Jaden scratched his head.

"He seems to hide it in zealotry, but Aster is as prideful as they come. And he has a certain hangup when it comes to Hero monsters."

"What? You mean he's got a problem with me using Heroes? What could be so wrong with that?" Jaden was genuinely confused.

"I'm sure you've heard, but Aster's parents were murdered around ten years ago, only a few months after the Battle City finals. His father was the card designer Riser Phoenix." I had to admit, it was a little amusing that his father shared the same name as that shit-tier villain from High School DxD – I wonder if Syrus knows about this? "A splinter cell of Rare Hunters were initially suspected, but no conclusions could be found based on the available evidence. The killer is still suspected to be at large, and we don't even know the motive." Or at least, the motive was never revealed…I did as much research as I could into the topic, and I couldn't find much. The amount of missing information seemed suspicious, but I couldn't determine why. Was I misremembering something from the canon series?

"That's horrible! And he would have only been seven or eight when that happened. But what does that have to do with hero monsters?" Jaden continued.

"Right, I should probably explain further. Riser Phoenix created a one-of-a-kind set of hero monsters known as Destiny Heroes. Furthermore, he is credited with the creation of the Legendary Planets, a series of nine cards that includes your Elemental Hero Terra Firma."

"No kidding! I always figured Terra Firma had something special to him! So what's the deal with these Destiny Heroes? Are they stronger than the Elemental Heroes?" Jaden said, a bit defensive that his favorite cards might have been powercrept.

"Hmm…." I almost wasn't sure how to answer it. Some of the Destiny Heroes were extremely good – Diamond Dude became a key piece in many combos circa 2008, and Disk Commander nearly spent a decade on the banlist in both America and Japan. Malicious is an amazing combo piece in its own right, and Destiny End Dragoon holds up pretty well as a boss monster. "They have unusual effects, but for the most part they work better as an engine rather than a fully realized deck concept. Your heroes have a wider variety of fusions and fusion support. But the cards themselves aren't what make Aster dangerous. He is a master of the game and won't be making any mistakes. Furthermore, he's really good at mind games."

Jaden was taken aback by how stone-faced I was. "So, you think he wants to duel me for sure, huh? Well, I'm not scared of him, even if he did beat Zane. You never mentioned what his beef is with me anyways."

"I'm sure he'll make some tirade about it, but basically he thinks you aren't worthy of using heroes because you aren't using them for the same noble reasons as him." It really was a ridiculous way of thinking, but that's what Aster believed. I'm sure Sartorius did a lot to twist his mind so that this would seem a reasonable course of action.

Jaden was almost outraged now. "What the hell? He doesn't think I'm heroic enough to use heroes? How crazy! Does he go after people who use reptiles if they aren't actually reptiles? I can use whatever cards I want! And even if I abide by his criteria, I fought against the Shadow Riders last year! Professor Banner was committing crimes against nature, and Kagemaru was going to destroy the planet! How is stopping them not heroic?"

"Don't ask me." I spoke a little louder to head him off. "Here's the main point. Do not duel him. It's a bad idea."

"Huh?" Jaden looked at me with bewilderment. "You tell me all that, and then you say not to duel him? It would be such a fun challenge, and I can't just stand by and let him slander me!"

He had a point. If Aster went after me like that, I would fight him, no questions asked. But I know that Jaden will lose if he does duel him. But he won't die, and he'll grow stronger in the long run…what should I do? Is the best course of action really to let the canon timeline proceed? Or am I playing into the designs of destiny, of the Light? I told myself I wouldn't be a pawn of destiny - I refuse to!

"Or do you think I can't handle it?" Jaden followed up with a piercing question. "Do you think I need to be shielded from this man?"

"No, that's not it at all!" I protested, trying to keep my voice under control. "That's not it at all. He has some kind of supernatural power, this is no normal duelist. I am just advising caution."

"Well, I appreciate the heads up. But I'm not a normal duelist either. Professor Banner made that clear. If Aster Phoenix comes to this island, I'll duel him." Jaden said. So my action essentially did nothing but bolster his resolve, even when I wanted nothing more than to change his mind. Why? Why does he insist on this?

"If what you say is true, Aster Phoenix is coming here to defeat me, to demoralize me so much that I won't use my favorite cards anymore. Well, he's got another thing coming! I won't let him or anyone else smash my dreams! I'm gonna be a hero!" Jaden stared skyward with tremendous, unusual intensity.

I failed again.

XxXxXxXxxxxxXXxxXxX

The week passed, and I felt my frustration and stress beginning to reach a head. The idea that I might have under the sway of destiny, despite everything, was really starting to mess with my head. Without meaning to, I started to become more irritable and withdrawn.

 _"So, Aster Phoenix is returning to the island after all. Now I am convinced that there is some sort of ulterior motive at play. I refuse to let any more interlopers use my island as their staging ground. Are you certain of his purpose?"_ Kaiba rasped over the phone on Thursday night.

"Yeah, he's some got some grudge against Jaden Yuki. From what I've seen, Aster is no mastermind. I think that someone else is pulling his strings, whether he knows it or not."

 _"His manager, Sartorius. As if you could mean anyone else."_ Kaiba smirked - even though I couldn't see him, I knew he was smirking. _"So, you believe Sartorius has some dastardly plan? Let's hear it, Lancaster."_

"If you want my opinion, I think that religion of theirs is bad news. A sense of spirituality is one thing, but Aster and his manager are deep into it."

 _"Hmph. Let the idiots pray to the sky if they like."_ Kaiba wasn't big on religion – shocker! I myself was a Christian in my old life, but my experiences this past year have put my faith on the back burner. There would hopefully be time to work that out later. Either way, I was used to Kaiba's acerbic nature by now, and did not rise to his words. You'd think that Kaiba would put a little more stock in this sort of thing considering he's literally seen gods and demons walking the earth, not the mention the bevy of supernatural powers granted by the Millennium Items and such. I guess his memory was short, or maybe the drugs were finally starting to addle his mind to some degree. _"Only weak people rely on such dreams."_

"If dreams were horses, then beggars would ride." I repeated an old proverb that my father, not Tobias but my true father, back in my old life, was fond of. The statement also got me out of having to explicitly agree or disagree with Kaiba's rude dismissal of religion.

 _"Ha! I've never heard that before. Where'd you hear that one, Lancaster?"_

"Something my dad used to say." I mumbled.

" _I see. Anyways, for now I want you to observe Aster Phoenix's duel with Jaden. If you cannot be there, get good intel from someone you trust. Or someone you trust the most I should say. I have heard rumors that Aster has unique cards."_ Kaiba snarled. _"No power should be allowed to exist in this world without my knowledge. I want point totals, attributes, effects – everything."_

Fighting chills, I replied, "As you say, sir."

 _"Good….good. You haven't disappointed me yet, Lancaster. I expect a high standard from you. Have you battled Mackenzie yet?"_

"The right opportunity hasn't made itself apparent, sir. I will soon."

 _"Create the right opportunity. Waiting around for too long under the guise of "planning" is foolish. Fortune favors the bold."_

I had to admit he was right about that, at least. He was wrong about something else though. A power does exist without the White Dragon's knowledge – mine. And the day he learns about the nature of that power will also be the day I defeat him.

(Aster Phoenix POV)

His private plane was set to leave for Central Academy Island in the evening, so Aster visited his parent's graves in the afternoon. It was a mockingly sunny day. Clear blue sky stretched as far as the eye could see, only occasionally punctuated by white cloud wisps. The cemetery was out in the country, with no skyscrapers to obscure the view.

He still wore his suit done up as always – Aster disliked wearing casual clothes in general, but he would especially never were them here. Never here. At the hill's bottom rested a sleek black sports car, bound for the airport after this brief sojourn.

Aster rested a fine bouquet of white roses – the finest money could buy – on the graves of his mother and father. "I swear to you that one day justice will be served. Today will dawn a new age of heroes. Your finest creations will now see the light of day, father."

There was more he could have said. He could have stood on that hill until the sun set and rose again, and on a few times he did, speaking words he wished he could have said to people who will never hear them.

"In heaven, you'll see them again." Sartorius said to him as a child, but the words always rung hollow. Such words seemed a comforting illusion, no matter how hard he tried to believe them. Such things were for the night, and Aster wanted to exist in the light of day.

"God has blessed me with many things, but justice….all I have seen of justice has been made with my own two hands." That would always be a fundamental difference between Aster and the eternally patient Sartorius, but he never voiced this. Aster left for the airport shortly thereafter.

XxxxxxxXXXxxxxXxxxxxxX

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

Aster arrived on the island in the dead of night, and where he stayed, I did not know. The only notification I received was as I was leaving my ten o' clock class with Professor Hibiki. Syrus told me of how Aster challenged Jaden at the stroke of midnight over a Skype call (how he obtained such information was a mystery I intended to solve) for the following morning.

Why was I left out of the loop on this? I guess, from their perspectives, this seemingly wasn't any of my direct business. I intended to make it my business, as what happened from here on could determine the fate of this planet, and my life as well. I rushed down to the Obelisk duel arena, making it there the same time as Mackenzie, oddly enough. It appeared she was locked out of the loop as well, a fact that brought me some small comfort. I spoke little to her as we made our way to the dueling floor, not trusting myself to say anything in front of her.

Each entrance to the arena was blocked by small clusters of bodyguards, clearly in Aster's employ. "Excuse us, may we pass? Our friend Jaden about to duel in there." I asked hastily.

"Nope. Mister Phoenix has expressly denied any and all spectators. He is a professional, and does not allow free viewership of his matches under any circumstances. A few friends of Jaden Yuki were allowed to attend since they witnessed Aster's earlier meeting with mister Yuki. They are mister Truesdale and the misses Reid and Dorothy. The school's headmaster, Crowler, is in there as well. No one else is allowed in or out until the battle is concluded." The guardsman explained brusquely.

"What do you mean? My tuition helps pay for these facilities! Aster Phoenix isn't even a student here, so why does he get to use the arena as he wishes?" I protested.

"I have to wonder about this as well. Wouldn't mister Phoenix profit from charging admission, if he is so adamantly against free viewings of his dueling?" Mackenzie asked more calmly than me.

"Aster agreed on this arrangement with mister Yuki, and since it is a personal matter, the National Pro Agency does not allow him to charge admission, else he surely would. As for the usage of the arena, we filled out all the necessary paperwork and Crowler signed off on everything."

What? Crowler was able to sign off on something like this without telling Kaiba? Shit, now I have a problem on my hands. If I tell Kaiba about this, Crowler will surely get some kind of punishment for it, since Kaiba expressly asked me to keep track of Aster Phoenix's movements on the island. Unless he didn't give Crowler that same order? But why would he do that? Bah, this doesn't make any sense!

"So there's no way we're getting in?" Mackenzie asked again, batting her eyes at the guards. Though some color seeped into their cheeks, they stood firm and refused to let us pass. They then proceeded to direct us from the premises.

"Unbelievable!" I spat as we walked away from the arena, away from the match that would decide a great deal of things moving forward.

"I know how you feel, I was looking forward to seeing Phoenix use his real deck. Destiny heroes, I believe they are called? Still, I have to wonder why he wants to fight Jaden, specifically. Jaden never told me what Aster said to him on that Skype call." Mackenzie commiserated, as if we were comrades.

"We'd like to know that as well." A posh voice sounded. Behind us stood the rest of the crew – Bastion, who called to us, along with Alexis, Kenzan, Jasmine (I guess), and Atticus (who I still had to meet with regarding Zane's current condition).

"I don't know why Jaden has that guy's attention, but it probably isn't a good thing." Alexis worried.

"From what I've heard, Aster seems to have some sort of grudge against Jaden. He wants to prove that he's the better Hero user or something." I affected a dismissive tone.

"What? Could it really be something so petty? For Ra's sake, Aster might be good, but that doesn't give him exclusive usage of Elemental Heroes. Could you imagine if Joey Wheeler came after me because we both use Red-Eyes cards? How absurd." Atticus rightly protested.

"If he wanted to duel Jaden seriously, he should have done it the first time. Instead, he cobbled together forty cards from eight packs and fought at far less than his maximum power. It is all highly illogical." Bastion murmured. Sometimes I had to look at his ears to check if he wasn't actually a Vulcan from Star Trek. Sadly, I could never do the "Live Long and Prosper" thing with my hand.

"It is absurd, but Aster has the money and power to make even his most ridiculous whims a reality. He even has divine providence, if the rumors are to be believed." I relied grimly.

"Don't tell me you believe that, Jamie." Alexis gave me a long, meaningful look. Despite the fact that she was the one who wanted to keep our relationship a secret, she had the subtlety of a sledgehammer at times. I purposefully averted her gaze with a peevish look while Jasmine looked between us.

"All I'm saying is that he's not to be trifled with." I followed up in stilted fashion.

"It shouldn't be a big deal. If Jaden beats him, the matter is settled. If Aster beats him, then the matter will also be settled. Isn't that how it goes with these contests of male pride?" Something about the way Jasmine said "male pride" irked me, but I didn't dwell on it. Bastion looked a bit uncomfortable.

"I don't think that's all there is to it." I said cryptically.

"I'm sure Jaden will tell us what this is all about when the game is done." Mackenzie spoke up from behind me. I jumped, alarmed by her voice. Why did I let her get behind me?

"Are you alright, mister Lancaster? Sorry if I startled you." She said sweetly, her arms behind her back.

"I'm fine!" I yelped. "I'm good. Sorry." I amended further, toning it down a bit.

"Well, that's good to hear. You see, while we're waiting for one game to finish, I figure we could occupy ourselves with a game of our own. I've wanted a piece of you ever since I've arrived, and now is as fine a time as any, wouldn't you agree?" She said sinuously, and I was certain the innocent-sounding request masked a darker intention.

"Ooh, that could be a lot of fun! I'd love to see you two get after it! In a duel, I mean, hehe." Atticus let out a freudian slip, maybe? He is a strange one.

"I daresay it's a better idea than standing around in a hallway. What say you, Jamie?" Bastion urged. Jasmine smugly looked upon me with high expectations.

I frowned. Fuck. If I turn down the match, I look like a pussy in front of three Obelisk Force officers, and I'll probably make Mackenzie suspicious of me as well. Why did she want to duel now anyways? Was it to gauge my abilities? I had to make a choice, and quick. In the end, my relentless desire to prove myself prevailed.

"I accept your challenge. Perhaps outside would be best?" I suggested. I hadn't used the fullest extent of my strength in quite some time – not since that fight with the duel spirit on the hotel rooftop this summer. Time to see what she is made of, and me as well.

She gave me an enigmatic smile. "Thank you. I'm sure you won't regret this."

I sure hope so.

XxXxxxXXXxxxxxxxx

(Jaden Yuki POV)

Jaden couldn't be more excited! Not only did Aster challenge him to another duel, but now he was using his one of a kind cards, the Destiny Heroes created by Riser Phoenix. Which heroes would be stronger? Which were cooler? He couldn't wait to find out!

Aster stood opposite him in the main academy duel arena, normally reserved for official school functions. Erin, Syrus, Miss Dorothy, and Crowler were the only witnesses of the match – Aster was adamant that no one else be allowed entry. Jaden didn't mind much either way, although he did feel bad that his other friends couldn't watch, for they surely wanted to.

"Hehe, I'm getting excited! Let's get started!" Jaden was not a deep thinker, but he couldn't help but notice how he and Aster were nearly perfect opposites. Aster's cold blue eyes were weighted by purpose and self-importance, while Jaden's brown ones were alight with boyish exuberance. Aster stood ramrod straight, showing how perfectly tailored his silver suit was, while Jaden slouched casually in his well-worn red jacket and black t-shirt.

"Jaden Yuki," Aster intoned. "Before we begin, let me ask you – why do you duel? For what purpose are you training to become a duelist?"

"Ummm…." Jaden scratched his chin. "Well, I just like to have fun, and this how I do it. Dueling makes me happy! And I think it can bring people together. I didn't know most of my friends until we dueled for the first time." He smiled, thinking of his battles against Alexis and Bastion, Jamie and Zane.

Aster's glare could wither flowers and brown grass. "I see. Thank you for your candor."

Jaden wasn't really irritated, as he was used to this type of attitude. "You got a problem with that, bro?"

"And do you have a dream as well?" Aster ignored Jaden's question, instead asking another of his own.

"Yeah! I'm gonna be the next king of games!" Jaden pointed a thumb at himself, confident and vibrant.

"As I thought." Aster responded coldly. "A child through and through. And yet you use hero monsters…

"Listen buddy, I've risked my life to defend this island and save lives! I've been in real fights before! I've got nothing to prove to you!" Jaden protested.

"It is not to me you have to prove yourself. In this fight, you will be judged before God."

"Gee, aren't I lucky?" Jaden snarked before preparing for battle.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. I've been waiting to use that title for a while lol.**

 **I think it does the story well to linger on the quieter character driven moments in these "setup chapters" for lack of a better term. I enjoy writing them, and they're also easier to write in spurts, which is what I've been doing lately. It's harder to keep track of duels when writing this way. Luckily, in a month I will be relatively freed up once more, and my pace should improve as a result. I do plan on going on vacation for five days at the end of April, though. Maybe Denver around the 20** **th** **, lol. That being said, I really appreciate your maturity and patience with me. We'll see two duels in the next chapter, Jaden vs Aster and Jamie vs Mackenzie – I am excited to write both, as they are both tremendous opportunities to shape every character involved.**

 **By the way, if you have a MyAnimeList account and are interested in what series I'm currently watching, or you'd like to discuss Anime/Writing/Anything with me, by all means hit me up on that site! My username is Yung_Warrior and my profile pic is the same as my current pic (the pure Saiyans from DBZ with my bois Vegeta, Goku and Bardock at the center). Peace and we'll see you soon!**


	41. I Cry When Angels Deserve To Duel

Chapter 41 – I Cry When Angels Deserve To Duel

(why'dyouleavethecardsuponthetable)

(Aster Phoenix POV)

Aster would never forget the day he first met Sartorius. It was shortly after his mother and father had been murdered, when he was just turning eight years old. Each day had blurred into the next back then. Aster had barely slept, barely ate, barely did anything as his entire world closed in on itself. His mind ran in circles as he gazed at the ceiling, or the wall, or the floor, or nothing. The future seemed so limited and small. For a long while he wanted to die as well, to join his parents wherever they ended up. But he never had the will to do it, and that hurt even more.

His legal guardian was Kyle Jables, a cousin of his father. While his guardian concerned himself with the legal work of assuming custody of Aster, as well as the accumulated fortune that was left to him in his father's trust, Aster himself was often left to his own devices. In hindsight, it was remarkably negligent of Jables and the numerous people responsible for his well being to leave him unattended so often. But Aster was glad for it – it was that same negligence that let him meet Sartorius.

One night, while Jables was deep in meetings with the estate lawyers, Aster visited the local church on a whim, his mind aimless and blank. The doors were open to the public during all hours of the day, but as it was seven in the evening on a Monday, there was no service in session.

Apart from some custodians, there was only one person in the hall of worship. It was another boy, one clearly taller and older than Aster, with unusually long blue hair and wide blue eyes. He was almost perfectly still, sitting the pew with his hands folded.

What immediately caught Aster's attention about him was his intense, unwavering devotion to prayer. This was no fair weather believer, this was someone with true conviction. With _faith_. The word curdled on Aster's tongue. A sudden, incomprehensible rage took over him.

 _"May the light bring forth good fortune to mother, and father, and sister…I pray for justice, and peace to all of the light's children."_ The blue-haired boy said lowly, not even noticing Aster's presence. Aster didn't give much thought to the words, thinking them some sort of generic Christian prayer.

"You think God can hear you! You think those silly words change anything! There's no purpose!" Aster suddenly screamed as he advanced on the older boy, a gut-wrenching invective of emotions that had no outlet before. The blue-haired youth was jerked out of his reverie, staring at Aster.

"There's no justice! Do you hear me!? None! Life is chaos! Misery and death! No one can help us!" Aster bellowed in anguish at this boy who had done nothing to him, nothing but show faith.

All at once, the strength left Aster and he placed his hands on the back of the pew, weeping inconsolably. Free flowing tears stained the finely crafted woodwork, his arms wobbling and chest heaving.

The other boy stood up and hugged Aster. His expression remained calm, sympathetic and patient throughout the entirety of Aster's tirade.

Aster's crying redoubled as he hugged the boy back with all of his strength.

XxxxxxxxxxxxXxXXXXxxxxx

"You can hear God?" Aster rubbed his red eyes, his nose stuffy as he sat on the pew, watching the evening sunlight filter in through the elaborate stained glass on the walls.

"No one individual on this earth can truly know the Light or hear its voice…but with effort, it is possible to piece together echoes and whispers…" The boy, Sartorius, mused softly. "It brings me peace, and lets me know I'm on the right path."

Aster shuddered. "Peace…" He whispered.

"Yes, peace. It's like warm sunlight casting out the shadows in my mind, if only for a moment." Sartorius added.

Aster looked at him with desperate, lost eyes. "Can you teach me how?"

XxxXXXXXxxxxXXXXXXXX

Every day after that, Aster and Sartorius met at that church, except on Wednesdays, for there was an evening worship session then. On Wednesdays, they chose to meet in the local park, during the morning when it was least busy.

The two boys sat underneath a blooming cherry blossom tree. Both of their eyes were closed, but neither was asleep. Rather, they were deep in meditation. Aster tried his best to focus on his breathing, simultaneously perfectly at rest and desperately straining to hear any trace of the Light's voice. The light's presence was so soothing, but he could only hold onto the feeling for a few seconds before it passed.

"That was the longest yet." He said quietly to Sartorius, his friend.

"It isn't easy. Our worldly minds are constantly clouded with petty concerns and sinful impulses. You must truly want to listen. Your progress is astounding, Aster." Sartorius praised with a small smile.

"Thank you, Sartorius." Aster had somewhat regained his composure since the meltdown in the church. Sartorius wordlessly handed him a water bottle, and Aster gratefully took a drink.

"How…" Aster suddenly said, his silver bangs obscuring his eyes. "How can you…you know…deal with stuff…when…." He couldn't quite put the emotional maelstrom inside him into words.

"How do you keep living on when it isn't worth it," Sartorius could make it so simple, so clear. Although he himself was only twelve, Sartorius was amazed that Aster felt this way at only eight. He shuddered to imagine what would have become of the boy if they had not met – truly, the Light's plan is good!

All he could do was speak truthfully from his heart, and hope it was enough. "It is hard. Life is full of suffering, but there is a purpose in it. The Light has a grand plan for us all. Your pain will eventually become strength, and with that you will know the profound joy of healing. Should you hone that strength….there will no longer be any need to wait on justice." Sartorius said with quiet, yet powerful emphasis.

Aster's stare no longer looked so blank – gradually, a purpose was forming. "I see…"

XxXXXxxxxxXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'm ready! Let's do this!" Jaden readied. Aster refocused to reality.

"You face your judgment enthusiastically, at least." Aster voiced dryly. He won the roshambo, so he elected to take the first turn.

"I'll start by summoning **Vision Hero Vyon (1000/1200)**!" For all Aster's talk of the Destiny Heroes versus the Elemental Heroes, his first monster was neither. It was a slight man in a purple cybernetic suit with a helmet that resembled a laser lens. Jaden squinted, not recognizing the card.

"When this monster is summoned, I can send a hero monster form my deck to the graveyard. I choose to send Destiny Hero Disk Commander." Aster sent another unknown hero to the grave.

"Then, I'll set two cards and end my turn." The silver-haired duelist finished simply.

"Somehow, that disk commander must benefit from being in the grave…" Syrus murmured in his seat, nervous as always.

"Yeah." Erin agreed, somewhat jealous that she wasn't the one in the fight. "We'll see what these new heroes are about soon enough. I'm just gonna go ahead and guess that they do a lot with fusion. Whatever they do, Jaden will adapt. He's good at doing that, wouldn't you say, Crowler?" She turned and addressed the headmaster, who was sitting a few rows above them in the otherwise empty stands.

Crowler was uncharacteristically muted, his posture pensive. He didn't respond to Erin's question or the taunt thinly hidden beneath it. She found that odd – he was usually more easily provoked than this, and the man was rarely the quietest person in the room.

"Oi! Earth to Crowler!" She waved.

"Please pay attention to the match, Miss Reid. You are fortunate to even be allowed entry. It would behoove you to take advantage of that." Crowler said coldly, another behavior most unlike him. Aster only allowed Erin, Syrus, and Miss Dorothy (who only had time to watch for a little bit until she had to get back to the shop) to watch because they saw his first game against Jaden. She still didn't know why Crowler let Aster have his way – just how much was the pro paying him? Did Kaiba sanction this? It was frustrating how so many mysteries seemed to swirl around her, and yet her burning desire for truth was rarely satisfied. It was as if she was only a minor character in some far grander story. The thought haunted her.

"Alright, my draw!" Jaden started. "I'll play **Elemental Hero Stratos (1800/300)**!" He didn't even realize it, but it was the same opening move Aster employed against Zane. "This lets me search a hero from my deck to my hand." Rifling through his deck, Jaden recruited Sparkman. "Now, I'll take down your Vision Hero!"

The wind hero's turbines revved up with a high-pitched whine before he suddenly blasted off, punching the lesser Vyon into dust and scrap. **(Jaden 4000/Aster 3200)**

"Alright! Jaden's already done more damage than Zane was able to!" Erin forgot about Crowler to focus on the duel instead.

"Activate reverse card, **Destiny Signal**. When a monster of mine is destroyed by battle, I can special summon a level four or lower Destiny Hero from my deck to the field." Aster explained as a giant light adorned the ceiling, a stylized letter D printed in shadow.

From the shadow came a bizarre, dark being, dressed in all black with the exception of a bloodred cape flowing from its cowl. Its face was a white mask with red eyes, expressionless and cold. Its hands were all sharp claws.

"I summon **Destiny Hero Doom Lord (600/800)**." Aster intoned. The sinister being floated down to its master's side. Jaden found it unsettling, but not because of its appearance.

 _"This is a hero, to be sure."_ Jaden couldn't deny that it had an undeniable aura of justice and conviction. _"But more than that, this is a tool for vengeance. Funny, for a guy who thinks that he knows everything about the way the universe is run, he doesn't seem very content with his life. I wonder what his deal is?"_ The red-clad boy believed that he could truly understand people through dueling.

"I'll throw down two face-downs and call it a turn." Jaden finished, on tenterhooks as we waited to see what the Destiny Heroes truly were.

Aster drew. Wordlessly, he placed a card in the field spell zone. Quickly, the arena seemed to darken, and the ceiling gave way to a crowded, choked night sky obscured by skyscrapers and building tops. Behind Aster, the largest building of all emerged from nothingness – a dark blue clock tower, enclosed by a spiky fence.

On the uppermost spire of the clock tower, Destiny Hero Doom Lord balanced perilously, glaring judgmentally down at Jaden.

"Time is running out for you, false hero." Aster was deadly serious now. "I activate the field spell, **Clock Tower Prison**."

XxxxxXXxxxxXxxxXxxxxxxxxXXxX

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

As I stood across the sidewalk leading to the school's doors from Reggie Mackenzie, I found myself confronted with a choice. The deck currently placed in my duel disk was my public deck, while the Melodious cards weighed heavy in my back pocket. Mackenzie was surely going to be a difficult and slippery opponent. But with my classmates watching on, any chance I had of keeping the Diva cards secret was gone if I used them here. And if word got back to Kaiba that I was hiding one of a kind cards, I could be put into an…uncomfortable position on that front as well.

The root of my concern was Mackenzie, though. I had no idea what her goal was or why she wanted to duel me. Although I had a vague idea of her father's overall plans, I couldn't be sure if she was working independently from him or not. If she won, there could be terrible consequences, or nothing could happen. At this point, I was fairly used to thinking this way, but she was more inscrutable than anyone I had ever come across, even moreso than Banner since I could at least be relatively certain of his long-term aims.

 _"Damn it! What should I do?"_

"Are you feeling alright, mister Lancaster?" Mackenzie asked gracefully.

"Erm, yes. It's just that I have two decks, and I'm deciding which to use. I'm kinda taking a page out of Bastion's book, I guess." The best lies have certain elements of truth to them. Bastion looked on with increased interest.

"Oh? I don't suppose you've been thinking about how best to counter me, have you?" She led.

"More of a general strategy. It's been time to upgrade for a long while." I replied, using the spare moments to make up my mind. _"Chazz lost in the end, but he was able to keep pace with her for a long while. I know how she wants to use her cards while she has never seen me duel, to my knowledge. I'm going to go with my public deck."_

"I've decided to use this. Ready when you are." I gulped, hoping that this decision wouldn't cost me.

"Woo! Let's go Mackenzie!" Atticus cheered. It was a cloudy and rather cool day, so there weren't many outside. In the entryway, it was just the seven of us.

Alexis gave her brother an exasperated glance before calling out "You've got this, Jamie!" It was heartwarming for me, and I gave her a quick smile before facing my opponent.

"Well, it appears we both have our admirers." Mackenzie winked suggestively. I couldn't help but glance back at the Rhodes, who were both bickering with suppressed smiles while the others watched on, bemused. A sudden pain clawed at me as I recalled my own family from my past life. After a moment, the feeling passed – they never lasted long, these days.

"Let us begin." The earring on her right side seemed to glow a strong, dark shade of purple for a moment.

She won the roshambo and went first. "I've heard rumors you tend to pick rock most often." She smiled disarmingly while holding up her flat palm, symbolizing paper. These "charming" comments of hers were starting to drive me crazy…crazier, I should say. If it were up to me, I would rather fight an openly declared enemy, rather than this serpent masquerading as an angel. But I'll fight all the same.

"What can I say, I'm an open book."

She chuckled and made to start the duel. "I'll start by activating the field spell **Sanctuary in the Sky**." Ivory halls, verdant vines, and a vivid blue sky became our battlefield, flower petals whiffing through the air. "As long as this field spell is active, I take no damage from battles involving my own fairy monsters." She explained. Of course, the card's real value was that enabled the effects of her counter fairies.

"Then, I'll set a monster and end my turn."

"Draw." The air already seemed to be crackling with electricity, and again I had to wonder if this was just a normal game or not.

"I'll start by playing **Nobleman of Crossout** , allowing me to destroy your face-down monster!" A gleaming silver sword sliced through the air before pinning the hidden monster, which was revealed to be Nova Summoner.

"Then, I'll cast the spell **Instant Fusion**!" This particular card was surely going to go up in value over time – I'm glad I copped three of them while the card was still deemed to be useless in this meta. "By paying a thousand life points, I can summon a level five or lower fusion monster from my deck. I call on **Dark Balter the Terrible (2000/1200)**!" The creature was a crusty old demon garbed in the green robes of a king. Reggie sneered at it for a moment before smoothing her features once more. **(Jamie 3000/Mackenzie 4000)**

"What can he do with that?" Jasmine wondered.

"Tribute fodder I guess. I can't imagine it being much useful for anything else." Atticus surmised, unable to predict where the game was going. For now though, he was right.

"I'll now sacrifice Dark Balter to summon **Jinzo (2400/1800)** to the field!" The shade of my former foe now fought at my side. Looking at the bizarrely proportioned android still filled me with conflicting reactions, but the card was too useful to not use.

"Oh my! It will certainly be difficult to go without using traps." Mackenzie's tone was so ambiguous I couldn't tell if she was mocking me or not.

"Yep, that's the idea." I responded blithely. "Jinzo will attack directly with Cyber Energy Shock!"

Charging an black electric sphere between its hands, Jinzo launched it at Mackenzie, who had no apparent defense. Sure enough, the attack struck true, and she let out a gasp of pain. It was a small reaction, but still enough to make me wonder about the true stakes again. **(Jamie 3000/Mackenzie 1600)**

Bastion leaned over to Alexis. "That card brings back some memories, eh?"

Alexis shuddered. "Yeah, the nostalgia's really getting to me."

That battle against the duel spirit of Jinzo was really the first drop of what would become a flood of horrors that always seemed to encroach further and further into their lives. Well, that and the whole thing with Titan, though I wasn't there for that. Not to mention that time when Atticus and many other students were subsumed into a demonic shadow world. Actually, now that I thought of it, it seemed like the fabric of normalcy that they all propped up was nothing more than thin curtain hiding endless mysteries, adventures, and horrors.

I felt more alive in this past year than I had ever before.

Mackenzie rose. I must have had a smile on my face, because she commented, "Enjoying this, are we?"

"Well, I wouldn't have gotten this far if I didn't enjoy the game." And it was true. Despite everything, the demons after men and the constant risk of death, I loved to duel. In the heat of the fight, all of my worries and regrets froze, and time itself slept.

"There's something to be said for that." Mackenzie nodded. "But this is more than a game, isn't it?" She said, and my face only just remained neutral.

"What do you mean?"

"We each have our own goals that can only be accomplished through battle, albeit a battle fought with cards. From this beginning, this seemingly silly card game has always meant something more. Ancient kings and queens battled with the monsters now imprinted upon cardboard. There's always been something more to this game, and there has always been something more to most duelists." Mackenzie stared at her cards.

"Chazz Princeton puts forth the persona of a ridiculous fool, but during our battle I could sense glimpses of his true self. He fights not purely for the sake of glory, but to prove that he is more than his name, than the shadow of his brothers." She said with odd certainty.

I blandly looked at her, silently willing her to get to the point.

"But you…I can't really get a solid reading on you. May I ask why you play this game?" The leading question triggered a bad memory in me.

I heard my girlfriend's voice, from back in my old life. "Why do you spend your money on that game? Do people really pay money for these things?" This game had always been a point of contention between her and I. It went beyond just teasing, it really seemed to lower me in her estimation. It's not like I ever chose to play Yu-Gi-Oh over spending time with her, but that didn't change what happened in the end… Hell, most of my friends didn't even know I played.

They're all gone now, remembered by none but me. And although I wore a false name, while playing this game I felt like my real self for a time.

"This is just what I do. Take it or leave it."

Mackenzie looked dissatisfied with that answer, but I honestly didn't care. I'm not sure why she cared to psychoanalyze me anyways, surely I'm going to end up dead if everything goes according to her plans.

"I see. Then let's get back to it. I'll start my next turn by activating Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen!" Red carpet rolled out at her feet, and the sanctuary was adorned in crimson finery.

"Let's see it then. I want to see what's so splendid about this Venus anyways." As always, snarking hid the pain.

"As you wish. But be warned – do not underestimate this angel's power! Using the effect of Valhalla, I special summon **Splendid Venus (2800/2400)**!"

The golden angel gleamed blindingly in the island sun, looking down on me impassively. It was an impressive creature, to be sure. I looked forward to destroying it.

"Yes, that's it! Fight on!" I bared my teeth.

XxXxxXXxxxXXxxxxxxxxXX

"So, what comes with the change of scenery?" Jaden asked, looking around the courtyard curiously.

"You'll find out in four turns." Aster replied mysteriously.

"Uh, I mean if I ask to see the card, you have to let me by the rules of the game." Jaden didn't make a habit of rulesharking – not his style. But that didn't mean he was going to let his opponent deliberately mislead him.

Pressing a button on the underside of the duel disk, Aster projected a holographic image of Clock Tower Prison's card, allowing Jaden to read the image. The silver-haired avenger looked put out that the mystery was spoiled.

"Woah, so each turn it gets a counter. And if it gets four counters, the field prevents Aster from taking battle damage…that's not good! Plus he gets to summon something called Dreadmaster if I destroy it with four or more counters!" Jaden talked to himself, as was his wont.

"Jaden's playing this pretty methodically…how strange." Erin mused.

"He saw where playing aggressively got Zane…Jaden knows he'll have to switch things up for Aster. If Aster didn't anticipate it, this might be enough…but I don't know." Syrus worried.

"If you're finished, I'll continue my turn." Aster intoned. "I'll start by using Destiny Hero Doom Lord's effect." Jaden's Stratos suddenly twisted and contorted, disappearing like water down a drain. "Once per turn, I can send one of your monsters two turns into the future, banishing them until my second standby phase from now. The only catch is that I can't attack this turn."

Jaden looked a bit befuddled at the strange effect, but was far from unbalanced. He was guaranteed no damage this turn, at least.

"Then, I'll normal summon **Destiny Hero Diamond Dude (1400/1600).** " A slim warrior emerged from the shadow of the clock tower, bizarre crystalline bodies growing from his dark green cape.

"That's really a horrid name for a card." Erin grumbled.

"Could be worse, they could call him Destiny Hero Diamond Guy or something." Syrus commented.

"Ha! I guess."

"Diamond Dude's effect lets me look at the top card of my deck. If it is a normal spell, I can send it to the graveyard." Aster excavated his topmost card. "It is the normal spell Destiny Draw, so I'll send it to the grave to use next round."

"You're all about stuff happening in the future, huh?" Jaden shrugged. Ironic for a guy seemingly haunted by his past.

Aster did not dignify the comment with a response. "I set a card and end my turn."

 _"Man, he's focused…"_ Jaden knew this wasn't an opponent to take lightly. A counter was added to the field spell, signified by the clock's hand moving to three o'clock from twelve. "Draw! I'll play **E – Emergency Call** to add a hero monster to my hand! Then, I'll summon **Elemental Hero Wildheart (1500/1600)**!" The tattooed tribesman brandished a large, dull blade.

"Now, I'll attack your Doom Lord!" Aster had a trap in place, but since Wildheart was unaffected by traps, he didn't bother activating it. The blade struck true, cleaving the demonic hero in twain. Jaden's advantage appeared to be widening, but Aster showed no sign of concern. **(Aster 2300/Jaden 4000)**

"That's all for me! Let's see it, Aster!" Jaden wasn't one for insults and trash talk, but he was starting to wonder why Aster wasn't really fighting back.

"As you wish. Since it has been a turn, I can now use the Destiny Draw that I sent with Diamond Dude's effect last turn. Normally, I would have to discard a card in order to use Destiny Draw, but Diamond Dude's effect lets my bypass costs." Essentially, Aster got to draw two cards for free, although it required ample setup to do so.

"Then, I'll activate my face-down Call of the Haunted, allowing me to special summon **Destiny Hero Disk Commander (300/300)** to the field! And when's he summoned from the graveyard, I get to draw two more cards!" Aster pressed on. Jaden couldn't help but feel as though things were spiraling out of his control very quickly.

"Next, I play another copy of Destiny Draw, discarding a Destiny Hero to draw another two cards!" Aster's hands moved quickly, firing off a rapid-fire combo that Jaden could barely keep up with.

"The hero I discarded was Destiny Hero Malicious (800/800). I'll use his graveyard effect now – by banishing him I can special summon a second copy of himself from the deck!" This next hero was even more demonic than Doom Lord, possessing great dark wings, curved horns on his helm, and bestial fur and claws.

Jaden didn't know what to make of this. Aster drew six cards, but only had three weaker monsters to show for it. Unless he was planning to sacrifice them…

Aster used Diamond Dude's effect again, but the revealed card was a monster, gaining him nothing. "I was hoping for a useful spell, but all is in God's plan." Slowly, a white aura began to glow around Aster's body, and his eyes began to look silver rather than blue. "Prepare to face my full power! I sacrifice Diamond Dude, Disk Commander and Malicious!"

The three smaller heroes vanished into streams of light, coalescing around the top of the clock tower. They sent rays of sheer moonlight upon the courtyard, bathing the ground in dull light.

"Lord of light, grant me the strength to vanquish this pretender! I summon thee, my lord's chosen sword, divine divider of good and evil, **Destiny Hero – Dogma (3400/2400)**!"

Seemingly from the moon itself, a winged man clad in bulky, fierce brown armor descended. An impossibly sharp steel blade protruded from one of its forearms. Its helm resembled a bull's head, with similarly shaped horns. Its movements were oddly quiet despite its size and bulk.

Jaden was known for his headstrong bravery, rushing into danger with nary a second thought to his own safety. That was how heroes behaved, he thought. And no opponent, not even Chazz or Amnael or Kagemaru had ever inflicted him with true fear.

But at this moment he understood that Aster was truly serious about destroying him, whether that meant as a duelist or literally ending his life, he couldn't be sure. Aster would fight to the bitter end and then some, hunt to the ends of the earth, go without sleep and food if it meant completing his mission, such was his single-minded zealotry.

Jaden was not known for his caution, but this gave him pause.

XxXXxXxxXxxXXXXX

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

The Splendid Venus set upon my Jinzo, destroying it with holy light. The android's power was reduced by 500 due to Venus' effect. I threw up my hands to shield my eyes from the explosion, which felt a little too real for what this should have been. **(Jamie 2100/Mackenzie 1600)**

"I end my turn." The cool beauty wiped away a few stray strands of hair from her eyes.

"That's a pretty neat monster. Looks a lot cooler in person." I said appreciatively.

"Well, Venus is very connected to beauty, both material and spiritual. A gilded angel surely fits as a personification of such ideals, no?" Mackenzie commented idly.

"If you say so. Mind telling me my horoscope while you're at it? My birthday is…November 30." I found that out when my parents sent my birthday cards on that day. It was lucky, because I had no clue when my "birthday" was beforehand.

"You don't sound so sure about that." Mackenzie smiled.

"Well, it's so easy to forget." I gulped.

"I'm starting to wonder if you're capable of speaking straightforwardly, or if the snarking is pathological in nature. I imagine this gets annoying after a while. Or don't you ever get tired of idle chat?

"I'm often told I have a skilled tongue." My friends groaned at that one, and Alexis looked quite embarrassed. "And I do have a fondness for idle chat."

"I figured as much. As for your horoscope…well, consider your next draw your horoscope for the day." She motioned for me to continue.

"It's looking alright then. I'll set a card and end my turn." I said.

Mackenzie considered the face-down carefully. "Very well. I summon **Bountiful Artemis (1600/1700)** in attack mode." The white, statuesque angel floated to the field, eerily still.

"Now, I'll attack with both of my monsters!" The two fairies fired off bright white laser beams at me.

I hoped she didn't have something to counter this. "Activate reverse card, **Scapegoat**!" Four sheep tokens blocked the path of the beams. Two of the goats were immediately vaporized by the angelic attacks, while the remaining two peacefully floated on my field.

"Stalling." She said with a note of impatience. "You know, you're rather annoying to play against."

"I get that a lot. But what with this whole thing being your idea, I wouldn't complain too much. But you do you." I was having a lot of fun trying to get under her skin. Any real crack, beyond the odd tick of annoyance, would be greatly rewarding. This kind of reminded me of cold approaching a girl in a bar. By the way, I'm pretty sure Alexis just successfully bored holes in the back of my head with her stare.

"My draw!" The order in which I play my next cards is crucial. "I'll play **Mystical Space Typhoon** to destroy Sanctuary in the Sky."

"I activate my counter trap **Divine Punishment** to negate that effect." She responded, drawing a card off the effect of Bountiful Artemis. This was perfect.

"In that case, I'll cast the spell **Metamorphosis**." I cannot believe this card is still legal (at three no less!), but I wasn't complaining. "This lets me send a monster on my field to the grave, and in exchange I can summon a fusion monster with the same level. So by sending a sheep token…"

In place of the harmless sheep token emerged an eldritch demon, hundreds of eyes stitched along its horrifying, crusty body. The closest thing to a traditional head it had was a wooden Millennium Eye lodged at the top of a protruding extension that could possibly be called a neck. Its torso was a gaping, infinite maw of blackness and despair.

"I summon **Thousand-Eyes Restrict (0/0)**!" Mackenzie looked at the scuttling creature in horror. "Prepare to get slurped!"

"Huh?" Mackenzie reacted with confusion and worry.

XxxxXXXxxxxxxxxxxX

(Jaden Yuki POV)

Before he could blink, Jaden saw Destiny Hero Dogma set upon him. Dogma's blade not only cleaved through Wildheart, but indeed it sent the bifurcated hero's limbs spinning through the air before they turned to dust. Jaden dug in his heels to meet the sudden damage. **(Jaden 2100/Aster 2300)**

"That will be all. Now, face your destiny, false hero." The white aura flared at Aster's fierce proclamation.

"My name's Jaden, buddy…draw!" Jaden rallied.

"During your standby phase, Dogma's effect activates, halving your life points! Go, Divine Dividing!" In an instant, the massive hero was upon Jaden again, this time striking him directly. **(Jaden 1050/Aster 2300)**

"This got bad, fast!" Erin was amazed and more than a little impressed at not only Aster's power, but the sheer intensity emanating from him.

"Argh…but since it's been two of my turns, that means that Stratos comes back from the banished zone." The blue wind hero did return to Jaden's field. However, due to the wording of Doom Lord's effect, this did not count as a special summon, thereby not activating Stratos' effects. Jaden would have liked to destroy the clock tower, since it now had three counters on it. But his draw was good, and he had a way out of this corner anyways.

"I'll play the field spell **Fusion Gate**!" The clock tower melted down, and a dark portal replaced it, hovering above the two duelists. This let both of them fusion summon, which was potentially just as beneficial to Aster as it was to Jaden, but it was worth it to get Clock Tower Prison off the field.

"There's no way I'm getting scared by any of this wacky destiny talk! I'll use Fusion Gate's effect to fuse together the Stratos on the field with the Bubbleman in my hand. Blow him away, **Elemental Hero Great Tornado (2800/2200)**!" Jaden's new champion was a green-armored warrior clad in a baggy, dark cloak, and with his presence came howling winds.

"When this monster is summoned, I can halve the attack and defense of all monsters you currently control!" The slicing winds cut Dogma down to size, bringing the beast's strength to 1700.

"Now, I'll attack!" Jaden only hoped that it would go through. He was wary of Aster's face-down, but felt he had not choice but to keep on the attack. The choice cost him.

"Activate reverse card, **D-Counter**." Aster said almost drolly. "When a destiny hero is attacked, this counter trap destroys the attacking monster." A sudden burst of light energy shredded the Great Tornado and halted Jaden's attack unceremoniously.

 _"Gah, no way! He's countering everything I throw at him."_ Jaden thought with mounting apprehension. "I set a card and end my turn."

Aster's now fully silver eyes glimmered. "I will make sure this ends it. I draw. First, I'll banish the Destiny Hero Malicious in my graveyard to summon my third copy from my deck." The minor demon knelt beside the massive Dogma. "Then, I'll offer it up as a sacrifice to tribute summon **Destiny Hero Double Dude (1000/1000)**!"

The monster seemingly was only a heavily clothed gentleman, clad in a three-piece suit, thick scarf, and a fedora of all things. However, behind him was the apparition of a muscled, deranged brute with long lilac hair. "This monster can attack twice in a battle phase."

"Man, what's with these Destiny Heroes? Cool cards, but terrible names. What's with all the dudes?" Erin joked weakly while Syrus sat on the edge of his seat. From above, Crowler still observed the battle with an inscrutable expression.

"Now, I'll attack! Dogma, strike directly and end this duel!" Aster bellowed, his quiet demeanor from earlier completely gone.

"Hehe, not quite! I activate **Flute of Summoning Kuriboh** , letting me play **Winged Kuriboh (300/200)** from my deck to the field!" Jaden's spirit familiar saved him once again, taking the slash from Dogma and casting its protective spell over Jaden for the turn.

"I should have seen that coming. That Kuriboh always seems to pop up when you don't want it to." Aster frowned. "Now you won't take any more damage for the rest of the turn."

"Yeah, that's kinda the point of the card." Jaden ribbed good-naturedly, but inwardly he was beginning to panic. _"I'm out of options. My best way out is to fuse, but I'm not sure I have anything that can outfight that Dogma of his! I need something…"_

Without meaning to, Jaden began to draw upon dark powers, powers he tried to ignore while the rest of the world seemed intent on drawing them out. He thought of Banner's cutting words, and Kagemaru's intent that he was some kind of "king of darkness".

 _"I don't understand what it is they see. I've always associated the darkness with evil, decay, and despair. But if this is a true representation of the light…"_ He looked at Aster. " _Maybe I've had it wrong! Is it possible that these hidden powers could be used for good?"_

Slowly, a pitch black aura crept around Jaden's body, a sharp contrast to the blinding white of Aster's. And when Jaden opened his eyes, it was gold they shone.

"What is that around Jaden? Is it some sort of card effect?" Syrus wondered. Crowler narrowed his eyes, while Erin leaned forward in interest.

Aster's eyes widened. "What is this?" This foul stench…it could only be the power of darkness! Of course, Aster had never truly fought anyone who could manifest Duel Energy besides his training with Sartorius, but this was unmistakably the opposite of his Light. This was not only dark energy, it was the darkest of energy. Vast and deep, it was like stepping into the throne room of a king.

"A king…" Aster shuddered. "I see. My assumptions were incorrect. You are no mere schoolboy. This is something only a truly dark being could produce. I need to finish this now!"

 _"Isn't that what he's been trying to do?"_ Jaden mused. "My thoughts exactly! Draw!" The bond Jaden had with his cards was the gift that kept on giving.

"I activate **Parallel World Fusion** , allowing me to fuse using banished hero monsters, putting them back into the grave! I'll fuse together my Stratos and Bubbleman!"

Spikes of ice shot up from the floor, and a hero in white armor rode astride them. "I summon **Elemental Hero Absolute Zero (2500/2000)**!" The icy warrior stared down Aster's field with crossed arms.

"That's enough to beat Dogma and Double Dude!" Syrus said.

"And if Aster takes it out, his entire board of monsters gets wiped. And it was the only hero Jaden could make with those materials, most importantly." Erin pieced together.

Aster's silver eyes stared down Jaden's gold ones. "Is that all?" The warrior of light mocked.

Suddenly, the frozen knight thrust its arms forward, icicles shooting from its fingertips while a wave of ice followed behind. "Yeah, this'll be all! I attack Double Dude!" Jaden smiled as the offensive made its mark, skewering the Destiny Hero and sending Aster skidding across the arena floor. **(Jaden 1050/Aster 800)**

Aster cried out in pain, Jaden's lack of control over his dark powers causing the suddenly real damage. Jaden took a deep breath and got himself back on an even keel. _"And if he somehow takes out Absolute Zero, I'll still survive…"_

Aster hurried to his feet, not wanting to appear weak. Jaden didn't know how things got to this point – he just wanted to have fun dueling. But he wasn't sure if Aster had ever dueled for fun, and things had become deadly serious. "I end with that." Jaden had no choice, having precious little card advantage.

"I won't lose to you! Not here, not ever!" Aster furiously drew. "Heh! How unfortunate for you. It appears that destiny will always have it its way." Dogma leered at Absolute Zero, but Jaden's hero stood his ground evenly.

"Just try me!" Jaden grinned, gold eyes challenging. "I'll never let destiny tell me what to do."

"I admit you are made of far sterner stuff than I realized." Aster gave grudging respect. "That childish façade of yours is very convincing. I didn't think someone with this dark an aura could act so naïve."

"It's no façade. This is who I am, take it or leave it. And I'll never change, especially if you're the one telling me to." Jaden's smile widened, and it wasn't an arrogant grin, but the pure expression of a boy enjoying himself. "I'm just a guy that duels for fun!"

Aster felt a memory rise unbidden.

" _It doesn't matter to me if I become wealthy or powerful doing this. That's not what I want out of life. If I can make kids smile and enjoy themselves, that's enough for me."_ His father would often say when people asked why he stayed in card design. It was common for most people in the dueling industry who started in card design to eventually move up to a middle management position, or to another field which let them use more of their artistic talents. But Aster's dad had been in card design for nearly his entire career. It was his practiced hand that designed the destiny heroes – the same heroes Aster now used to mete out vengeance and despair.

"Dad…is this what you wanted?" Jaden barely made out Aster's whisper. However, the vulnerability only lasted a moment before his expression hardened.

"No…this is the man I am now. I activate the spell card **Misfortune**. This lets me deal damage to you equal to half of one of your monster's attack points." He said solemnly, a silent, colorless energy shooting through Absolute Zero to Jaden. **(Jaden 0/Aster 800)**

Jaden barely registered that the duel had ended. It was so sudden. First he was standing. Then, he was falling, falling, as everything turned to white….

XxxXXXxxxxxxxxxX

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

"Alright Thousand-Eyes Restrict, start sucking!" I said with a gratuitous leer.

"Suck! Suck! SUCK!" My friends helpfully chanted. Mackenzie gave a look of vague disgust as the oh-so great legendary planet was assimilated into my monster's being, Borg-style. The angel was crucified, trapped within my beast's midsection.

"Now, I'll attack your Bountiful Artemis!" The thousand eyes each shot piercing beams of dark energy, successfully felling the angel. **(Jamie 2100/Mackenzie 400)**

I nodded, glad to have finally got some solid hits in on her. She was a tough one, I'll grant her that. But I know I can win, in time. Mackenzie staggered back, but otherwise looked ready to go, as was I.

"Let's keep going! I set a face down and end." I said gamely.

"Indeed. Rest assured, I will see Venus back on my side soon." Mackenzie bantered back. She seemed happy with her next draw. "And I have just the card to do it. Prepare yourself, Lancaster!"

However, before she played the card, she froze. "What…what is this energy?" Her tone made a sudden swerve – she was uncomprehending and possibly even afraid. My friends suddenly looked confused.

"What do you mean-" I started to say before a wave of pure white washed over us all, and we spiraled towards…a new format, you could say, though I didn't know it at the time. The entire world was covered in the purest, cleanest white, everywhere…

XxxxXXXxxxxxxxxxxXXxxXxX

(?)

In his private chambers, Sartorius felt the beginning of the shifting, and then the shattering that followed.

"Good…it is as God wills…" He murmured, purely content as the white washed over him as well.

A/N

Hope you all enjoyed.

Thanks for bearing with me over this semi-hiatus. I'll be going on vacation this week to Puerto Vallarta (I've never spent an entire week drunk but my buddies and I are going to try our best). But the writing will surely continue at a more frequent pace from here on, though as always I'll avoid hard deadlines because this is fanfiction and I've never seen an author on this website keep up with their self-imposed deadlines forever. Lol have you guys ever noticed that? Just me? Idk, make of it what you will.

Anyways, I am very pleased to announce that this story has a TvTropes page! Thanks a lot to kirbystarwarrior for making the page, you're a real one. I encourage readers to contribute to the page if they feel inclined to do so, I think that's awesome. Absolutely awesome! You would not believe how excited I was to hear about that. Thanks so much!

I did have Jaden lose to Aster this time, but I hope the differences during the duel, and more importantly the mindsets of the characters, are different enough to be dramatically satisfying. Also Aster winning here is literally predestined in the story so it is hard to write around that. I don't really like to write Jaden losing a lot, but I still hope to portray him as a formidable duelist in this story. The losses make him stronger and help advance his character, and they also give more credence to his overall mindset about dueling being fun regardless of winning or losing. It's easy to say that if you win all the time. And he still does win a lot, it's just that most of these victories are offscreen since the duels didn't change significantly from canon. So his win ratio is like 90% instead of 98% like canon lol. Still better than most.

I hope you guys liked the insight into Aster's past. I don't think I'm very good at writing tragic/sad material (I prefer humor/snark as you may have noticed lol) so this was good practice.

I'm sure the ending of this chapter is probably coming off a bit strange and confusing, but we'll go into it more next time. Also, sometime soon I plan to write a special chapter about Adam Sugihara's encounter with the duel spirit of Sand Gambler over the summer, so look out for that!

Thank you for your continued readership and we'll see you soon!


	42. Excited Two-Part Title! Sugihara Shinden

Chapter OVA: Excited Two-Part Title! Sugihara Shinden!

(Adam Sugihara POV)

June 30, 2005

Macau, China

It was another busy night at the Golden Dragon Hotel. Normally, in order to be employed at a four-star casino in one of China's busiest cities, one had to be over 18, in possession of a high school diploma, and in possession of some kind of government-issued gaming license.

Adam Sugihara was allowed to cut a few corners though, mainly due to the fact that his father was part of the hotel's principal ownership. And so, he found himself waiting tables and dealing cards at the casino over the summer. Learning the strict regulations of the place rather reminded him of learning the rules of duel monsters.

" _I wonder what the others are up to…"_ Adam thought as he weaved through the throng of people that comprised the Golden Dragon's patronage. Clad in a golden qipao top with black pants, a plate of drinks balanced on his shoulder. His work uniform reminded Adam unpleasantly of the garish Ra Yellow uniforms, though he found this more flattering. Thinking of school in general was more stressful than he would have liked. It had only been a little over a month since the defeat of the shadow riders, an event that Adam was lucky enough to stay out of.

" _Adventure, battles, demons, and intrigue…talk about exhausting! Glad I didn't end up with one of those keys."_ Adam mused. Unlike most of his peers at Duel Academy, Adam did not seek glory or high adventure. He was perfectly content to sit back and quietly accumulate his fortune through his DuelTube channel, his gambling winnings, and any other way he could think of. Adam did not love money, per se, but he did love the idea of a life of comfort and luxury, and money was just about the only way to achieve that.

True, he didn't have the blithe charisma of Jaden, or the Kaiser's incredible power. He lacked Jamie's fierce pride and Bastion's academic prowess. But he was willing to bet he had more in his bank account than them combined. And isn't that what life is about anyways?

Of course not. Sometimes he envied the ideals of his peers, but he found his heart was not stirred by such grand designs. The simple pleasures in life suited him better. And yet, tonight would find him caught up in supernatural affairs once more.

The night proved ordinary at first. The patrons were well-behaved, and there were few cheaters. Father taught him some common tricks that the audacious would use to try and ensure profit at the game's expense, so those that tried rarely got far on his watch.

Adam despised cheating – the entire point of these games was to use one's skill and cunning against other skilled and cunning opponents. For him, the money was only a trophy, and the real triumph was using one's sharpened instincts and intuition. So he supposed he had some lofty ideals, in his own way.

The regulars did not share Adam's ideals. People would throw hands over ten dollar chips, risk heavy fines to cheat at five dollar blackjack, spend even more on shitty drinks to soften the sting of the losses. It was not a glamorous job, and Adam saw some truly ugly behavior from his fellow man.

"Li!" Father called him out by his real name over the din of the gaming tables. Wenge Sugihara was a tall, sharp-faced man with equally sharp, hawkish brown eyes. Dressed in a fitted white shirt and a red vest, Wenge strode through the crowd of brown and black clad patrons.

"It's midnight, your shift is done. Whang Zi will take over for you now." He said coldly. Things hadn't been the same since mom left. Father was never a warm man, but Adam remembered that he used to smile more when she was around. From what he understood, she gave him a choice between the casino and her. He called her bluff, only to find that it wasn't a bluff at all. Amazingly, he managed to get custody of Adam afterwards, probably because he could afford better lawyers.

"Sure thing, dad. When do you think you'll be home?"

"A few hours. No need to wait up. Oh, and here –" the father handed the son a few folded bills. "Go get yourself a good meal." He gave a wry smile. "That means something with vegetables and protein. No garbage."

Adam smiled sincerely back at him. "No garbage."

"Good boy." Wenge clapped him on the shoulder and nodded briefly before turning his attention to the concern of another floor worker.

Eager for some fresh air, as well as perhaps some peace and quiet, Adam quickly pocketed the money and made his way to leave through the hotel lobby. Though the city was too lit to see any of the stars, it was a beautiful, balmy night nonetheless. He could see it from the window, now all that was left was to get out of here before something else held him up.

"A well-fought game, sir. Now then, as we agreed." A strident, confident voice broke through the clamor and reached Adam's ears. A spike of curiosity turned Adam's head to a corner table near the casino's card shop. Although Duel Monsters was not quite as popular in China as it was in places like Japan, the Americas, and Western Europe, the game was still a giant, and any self-respecting gaming establishment had cards to peddle. Patrons waiting for the card tables to open could often be seen comparing binders and playing quick warm-up games before money was on the line. It was quite rare to see betting go on in the lobby, and yet here it was.

However, the man doing the betting was what truly caught Adam's interest. He had a distinctly European look about him, sandy brown hair framing his face while similarly bronzed eyes laughed. He wore a very familiar grey suit and vest with a russet bow tie that hugged his slim figure.

 _"Where have I seen that before?"_ Adam wondered as he edged closer to the small round table. A rather haggard countryman of Adam's was packing up his Duel Monsters cards. He wore a cheap blue button-up shirt with faded jeans, and his sweaty palms were currently depositing a rare card, along with an impressive wad of bills, into the waiting arms of the brown-haired gambler.

The winner coolly examined the card, an Ultra Rare first edition copy of Gilford the Lightning. "Hmm. Well, better than nothing. Thank you for your patronage." He said dismissively to the vanquished, who scurried off with his remaining coin tightly clutched. A few onlookers remained, trying to get the measure of this mysterious, but apparently successful duelist. "Would anyone else care to play? For my first night at this casino, I'm doing rather well!"

It was an obvious lie – first timers were never this brazen. But an onlooker wanted to try his luck anyways, and the two men sat down to play. Adam lurked behind a pillar, feeling invested in what would happen – he was always hungry for entertainment.

The game was indeed interesting, in a tragic sort of way. The brown-haired man seemingly made amateurish mistakes, but the errors cost him little in actual card advantage. His opponent was soon lulled into a false security, and he ended up making the true errors in play.

Furthermore, the brown-haired man was using cards Adam had never heard of before – and coin flip cards, no less! Adam made it his business to know about the card pool, as it was essential to his Dueltube channel's success. He had never seen these. _"Must be counterfeit."_ He assumed. This guy was not only hustling people and taking their rare cards, but he was using overpowered counterfeit cards to do so! That rankled Adam something fierce. Pressing a button on the Bluetooth microphone near his shirt lapel, Adam contacted security and informed them of the situation. Adam moved out of the lobby to meet the guards in the gaming halls.

In the span of minutes, Adam linked up with two guards, sunglasses on their faces and heat holstered beneath their suit jackets. He hoped that such measures wouldn't be necessary, but more than that Adam wondered if bullets would even work against the Duel Spirit. After all, guns never worked on aliens in the movies.

After explaining the situation, the three of them moved to the lobby. Striding up to the brown-haired hustler, the two guards stood to his back and to his right, with a wall to the man's left.

"We've received a reports of illegal bets, counterfeit cards, and hustling, sir." One of the guards explained without preamble.

The vested gambler laughed. "Aw, I got snitched on! Which one of these fine men was it?" He gestured to the gaggle of onlookers, his playful tone belying a threat to the one who tattled.

"It was I." Adam made his presence known. "I saw you sharking these guys with cards that haven't been released yet. They must not have known that, but I do. My father owns this casino, and we don't want trouble anymore than you do. Go find some other marks, just keep it our of our halls."

This did nothing to cow the hustler. In fact, he looked upon Adam with odd curiosity. "Your duel energy feels familiar…in fact, it's a similar scent to the seven spirit keys."

Adam found that an odd thing to say. "Uh, must just be a coincidence. I never held any spirit keys, thank the gods." The light bulb went on in his head. "But speaking of familiarity, you look a lot like the card Sand Gambler."

The onlookers were being shooed out by security, but a few looks of comprehension dawned on the few that had lingered. _"That's not good…"_ Adam thought. _"The last thing I want is attention from the public…"_

"You a cosplayer or something?" The Ra Yellow duelist added.

"No, though you may wish that I was. I am merely on leave, so to speak. This realm has many amusements, and it beats the dreariness of the frontlines. I was merely surprised to find someone clearly connected to the interstice here." He spoke cryptically, casually balancing a spinning coin on his index finger. The guards looked at Adam with a mix of expectancy and confusion. Adam was having a hard time piecing together what exactly this spirit was on leave from – he had only heard of duel spirits secondhand from the real warriors, none of whom were present to fight this seemingly inevitable battle.

"He's a duel spirit, and one who is familiar with the keys. I wonder if he was with Kagemaru. But he said he was on leave of some kind, so he's gotten recent orders, and Kagemaru's been dead for a month. So who does this spirit serve?" All he wanted was peace and quiet, but Adam wasn't sure he could brush this off much longer.

"Listen man, I have no clue what you're talking about. Like I said, we don't want trouble. Just walk away." The hopes of a peaceable resolution were thinning even as he said the words.

"I've been told to keep an eye out for those with unusual duel energy…you must go to Central Duel Academy. I was told that the accursed lion and Jaden Yuki were the only special cases, but there's something strange about you too, isn't there?" Sand Gambler stood opposite from Adam, squinting at him.

Adam froze. "Nope, not me. I do know about the keys, and the key keepers, but I don't want any part in someone else's war."

Sand Gambler nodded, growing solemn in the face of a kindred spirit. "Too often it is a few that guide the hands of history, not the many. There are those with unbreakable spirits and incredible dreams that dredge up us smaller folk in their wake. I serve at one such person's command, and it is their command that I must follow."

"You don't have to do anything. You're on leave." Adam practically pleaded. Really, he could scarcely follow anything this dude was saying.

"In this instance, my action or inaction means a great deal. The success of my master's cause rests on the capture of Jaden Yuki and the death of the one known as the lion. There is risk in pursuing them, but there is risk in doing anything, or nothing – the man who does nothing is also taking a risk. If my master finds out that I tarried in this mission, I will die painfully."

Adam was swarmed by confusion. "Who in the hell is your master? And who is the lion?" Jamie Lancaster was known in their class as the Lion of Obelisk, but that was just a silly schoolyard nickname, right?

"Yubel. The most powerful of the duel spirits, now that the old gods lie dormant." Adam could not believe that the gambler was talking honestly, but it was only a week ago he heard tales of duel spirits attacking Jamie, Bastion, and Jasmine at some KaibaCorp party. Jasmine spoke of the name Yubel, that it was the master of the spirit she had defeated. Jamie had been silent on his battle, but Adam could only assume the attacks were related.

If the army of spirits truly sought Jaden and Jamie, then surely they had no business in Macau. Unless Adam were to accidentally run across one by happenstance…he cursed his own nosiness. He should have left this man alone, but it was too late for that now.

"I suppose this was bad luck, then."

Sand Gambler smiled ruefully. "I suppose it was."

"I cannot help you with what you seek. And whatever you think is special about me, you're mistaken."

"I don't believe that. And I know that if I let you leave, you will stand against us later. Unless you choose to join us. A human joined our ranks recently, you know." Sand Gambler was immovable. In truth, it reminded Adam of Jamie's relentless drive against his own enemies. Adam didn't think he could muster up that kind of resolve, but he would fight if needs be. He was many things, and he had quite the past, but a coward he was not.

Adam looked to the security guards. "Please lock down the lobby. Quietly." He added. "I don't want to worry my dad. And I'll need a duel disk."

XXxxxXXxXxxXXXxxxxXXXx

One of the men saw to locking down the exits and entrances, escorting any lingerers or employees to safety – Adam knew that these shadow games could get ugly. The other guard appropriated a duel disk for Adam to use from the hotel's card shop.

All the while, Sand Gambler waited patiently. Adam wondered what the guy's deal was. At first, his manner seemed easygoing and snarky, but when speaking of his duties he was resolute. _"Is it possible that this Yubel person actually engenders genuine loyalty?"_ Sadly, there was little time to ponder this further, as the battle was beginning.

Unlike Jamie and Jaden, Adam knew better than to always pick rock during the beginning roshambo. His scissors sliced through the Sand Gambler's paper, earning Adam the first turn.

He knew that this opponent was going to play cards of chance as well, unless he dueled differently than he played other games. But Adam rarely saw such cases – most people could be characterized by the way they played Duel Monsters in this world. It was a common theme he oftentimes found tiresome, though it was useful in predicting his opponent's overall strategy and behavior. The only opponent his intuition had ever failed to peg was Jamie on the few occasions the two boys practiced against each other. He was definitely a strange one.

"I'll start by playing the continuous spell **Second Coin Toss** , and I assume you know what that does." Adam began. Sand Gambler gave a smirking nod. "Then, I'll set a monster and another face-down to end."

"There is a certain element of chance to Duel Monsters, none can deny that. But my master has granted me cards from the interstices where the walls between dimensions are at their weakest. You are at a greater disadvantage than you realize." Sand Gambler explained, drawing his first card.

"So, you like to play with loaded dice, huh?" Adam shot back, although the spirit's words were odd the more he thought about them. He gathered that there were different dimensions from the battles with the Shadow Riders, but what was causing the safeguards separating them to weaken over the past year?

"I'll start by playing **Sacred Sword of the Seven Stars** – by banishing a level seven monster from my hand, I get to draw two cards!" Sand Gambler banished Barrel Dragon to cover the cost. "Next, I'll set a card and summon **Jack Wyvern (1800/1000)**!" The emerging creature was a dark green machine of war in the shape of a wyrm, green lighting glowing underneath the plating.

With a nod, Sand Gambler ordered his beast to strike, the wyvern swooping gracefully though the lobby to reach an optimal vantage point before firing on Adam's defense. The boy's monster was revealed to be **Dice Jar (200/300),** an anthropomorphic cup with a bizarre, wacky face (not the strangest creature in the game, perhaps, but close).

Sand Gambler was surprised, but smiled. "I see. You're wasting no time jumping into the games of chance."

"It's kinda my thing." Adam replied. _"And I have no choice."_ Dice Jar was the only real option his shit starting hand afforded him. The fact that he was fighting for his life and only had his competitively unviable fun deck with him was starting to sink in. He could only hope the odds were in his favor.

"Dice Jar's flip effect activates! The both of us roll a die, and whoever gets the lower roll takes damage equal to the opponent's roll times five hundred!" Adam grinned.

"Except if the winner rolls a six. If he does, then the loser takes 6000 points of damage and automatically loses as a result. Rather daring." Sand Gambler added. The duel disks handled the dice rolls by generating two holograms of the dice in question. The actual mechanism was just a random number generator set from one to six – the dice were just for visual flair.

The dice were as big as basketballs, allowing the both of them to clearly see their results. After a second's pause, the dice were thrown up, falling agonizingly slow. Each man stared intently at their pieces, mentally willing them to land on six. Adam's heart was already pounding in his ears, and his breath was bated.

The dice stopped at the same time, each showing fives. The two duelists let out startled laughs – it was clear Sand Gambler was equally as nervous as Adam. "We roll again if we get the same number." Adam barely had time to say before the dice were launched again.

Both dice were perilously spinning on their corners, ever so slowly settling. _"Come on you bastard, daddy needs a new set of card sleeves!"_ Adam mentally cursed at the dice, his eyes wide and stressed. Sand Gambler looked much the same.

Sand Gambler's die stopped first, landing on five again. Adam sharply breathed in through his nose. Sand Gambler smirked.

After another moment, Adam's stopped on six.

Sand Gambler's composure immediately disappeared, understandably. "No….no….nooooooooo! You have got to be kidding me! My new deck should destroy your pathetic garbage! This cannot be!"

"….hah….ha…hahahahahahaha!" Adam's breathless chuckle soon bloomed into full-on cackling as the adrenaline rush of a successful gamble overtook him. "What's good now!? It looks like my so-called disadvantage wasn't so crippling after all, wouldn't you say? Dice Jar's effect activates!"

The wicked cup turned around and unleashed a tremendous, wave-motion blast that distorted the very air itself as it engulfed Adam's unlucky opponent. **(Adam 4000/Sand Gambler 0)**

Sand Gambler was thrown back so hard his feet left the ground. Bills and coins left his coat pockets, along with several of the rare cards he won from the chumps earlier. He slammed into the far wall, breaking the drywall in one spot. His duel disk broke, one of the wings splashing into the lobby fountain while the rest of the machine clattered to the floor. His momentum halted, he slumped the ground, defeated.

This was a surreal experience for Adam. He had always had a knack for games of chance, though he had his fair share of losses as well. But this…he couldn't help but feel as though he had used up a year's worth of luck on this night.

 _"How close was I to death just now? What would have happened had that dice roll didn't go my way?"_ Adam did not find much use in dwelling on the past, being more practical and future-oriented by nature. But in matters of life and death, he had to wonder…

Sand Gambler tried to rise, but with the breath knocked out of him, he stumbled and fell again. "This is absurd…I shouldn't have lost! That Dice Jar was bullshit!" Instead of trying to catch his breath, he wasted oxygen on curses.

"Why speak as if you are owed something? We both agreed that the winds of fortune guide our sails. Today, mine led me to a swift victory, and for you a swift defeat. We could play a hundred games and perhaps you would win ninety-nine of them, with these new cards of yours. You won all of those games against those chumps using thrift store cards, picking off their best wares. Your luck was bound to run out sometime." Adam shrugged. Life is chaotic and full of ebbs and flows, but amazingly some people never learned that.

"I'm not giving you the chance to start another lucky streak though." Adam said coldly, the two guards moving into position with pistols at the ready. "Tell me about this Yubel person, and everything you know about all the crazy shit that's been going on lately."

Sand Gambler's breathing finally normalized, and his face became calm. "You are an odd one. What is your name, duelist?"

Adam knew better than that. "Chazz Princeton."

Sand Gambler let out a hitched laugh. "A wise move. I cannot fault you your caution. But I am wounded, still. Would you not do a dying man that small courtesy?"

"Oh knock it off, you're not dying." Adam rolled his eyes.

Another hitched laugh. "This is the way of a shadow game. In return for invoking godly powers, the gods demand payment. The loser dies, by the ancient laws."

"The ancient laws." Adam snorted, still disbelieving. "Stay ready." He glanced at his guards. "Does anyone have these ancient laws in writing somewhere or what? And don't say in the spirit realm or some stupid shit."

"Okay, I won't." Sand Gambler gave him a cheeky grin, and Adam was sorely tempted to let the guards shoot him. "But they are true all the same. And one day, your luck will run out as well." Slowly, mist began to furl from his body, and soon parts of him began to disappear, returning to the form of pure duel energy.

"Hey!" Adam ran up to him. Shaking the spirit, the Chinese duelist yelled, "At least tell me who Yubel is! What does Yubel want with us?"

"Words cannot do it justice. You will know Yubel when every last card in this world is burned, and you arrogant humans will no longer be able to enslave duel spirits as you please. You will know when Jaden Yuki sits the throne of darkness and takes the true title of king from these pretenders. Chazz Princeton, Jamie Lancaster, Aster Phoenix, Seto Kaiba, Yugi Moto, all of them will be destroyed. When you humans are lead by our yoke, that is when you will know Yubel." With that, the Sand Gambler once more became pure duel energy, the light particle shooting skywards to some unknown destination.

Adam stamped down the fear that was rising within him. Surely that was all nonsense…it had to be. And to think that this truly was a duel spirit, and that there were more to come…the thought was chilling.

 _"A foe vanquished…a demon killed."_ He couldn't believe he had survived the encounter. Turning to the guards, he called them over. "Please reopen the lobby, _quietly_. I don't want my father worrying needlessly. And speaking of him, I don't want a word of this to him."

If Adam's father found about duel spirits and all of this other crazy shit, he might pull him out of Duel Academy and send him off to a real boarding school. Adam trusted the guards, but for good measure he arranged a few payments to be made to them in small installments over the next three months. Chances were for games, not for matters such as these.

Adam did not feel the exhilaration a warrior was supposed to feel from a victorious battle. He only felt tired, and a bit queasy, just like he did after watching Banner die. _"This is the glorious duel that Jaden and Princeton, Zane and Jamie speak of? A children's game, perverted into a form of warfare, is glorious now? Does any of this fighting even matter? Is there any end to the duels?_

One of his examples did not fit. Jaden loved dueling in the pure way a boy loves his favorite toy, while Zane seemed to see it as some affirmation of his ridiculous honor. Chazz Princeton fought selfishly, to put others beneath him and to raise himself up, far and away from the shadow of his brothers.

 _"Jamie…I wonder what spurs you to fight on?"_ He could tell that his friend had lost something dear to him at some point in his past, but he would never ask about it. He was relentless, but Adam couldn't tell what exactly he wanted out of life, or why his eyes were often so sad. Adam didn't care much for sentimentality, and he doubted Jamie would talk to him, or frankly anyone, about these feelings. And Adam would never speak of these thoughts, for the feelings were too strange and uncomfortable for him as well. The pallor of death dredged up the emotions from the back of his mind. With effort, he pushed them back down. _"The future is full of opportunities…I must did allow this to weigh me down."_

"Say…" He walked over to the empty space where his foe once stood. His duel disk remained, as did the cards, the very things that drew him into this battle. They weren't counterfeit, since they clearly worked with the duel disk. But they were one of a kind, and if Adam had learned nothing over the past year, it was that one of a kind cards were powerful things, keys that realize a duelist's desire.

"I might be able to make a lot of money off these." Adam Sugihara thought, his aims paradoxically grandiose and yet so very mundane.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed. Although this neither official, nor a video animation, I couldn't resist the chapter title lmao.**

 **I hope you found this deviation from the norm refreshing. I felt that Adam could use some more fleshing out, as he is more of a background player. Ironically, the character prefers things this way lol. By design, he likes to say low-key, but even he's got some adventures under his belt. Though he might embellish the story somewhat so that the duel is a bit more of a pitched battle.**

 **Having the "duel" if it can be called that play out this way illustrates the chancier aspects of the game. Sadly, not every duel in the real game is dramatically satisfying, and Dice Jar has always been a pretty hilarious card to me, so I hope you don't mind too much. Of course, the big battles will continue to bear resemblance to the anime as we go on.**

 **I thought about writing this in the First Summer Arc like seven chapters ago but I thought this merited a fuller exploration. Furthermore, I wished to move on to some season two material at the time. Still, from here we can see how Adam would go on to make the deal with Industrial Illusions allowing him to use the Barrel Dragon cards we saw in his duel against Syrus.**

 **We'll return to the main storyline next chapter, where we will see what exactly is going on with this explosion of light. Catch you next time!**


	43. Call The Banners

Chapter 42: Call The Banners

The wave, beyond colorless, began at the epicenter of the first true battle between avatars of light and dark in years. Light…light so bright and hot, surely it will burn everything away…Darkness…soothing, cool, the pool from which all creation has been dredged up. But why would the clashing of these two forces, cosmic in scope though they are, cause a drastic realignment of the Duel Monsters world, of the state of the meta?

In countless timelines, Jaden Yuki and Aster Phoenix do battle one way or another, either at Duel Academy or Domino City or even the scorching deserts of Egypt in a few bizarre adventures. Aster Phoenix, the bearer of light who unwittingly exists in the deepest shadow. Jaden Yuki, the truest wielder of darkness who nevertheless holds light within his heart. Sometimes they meet as friends, other times allies of circumstances, and other times as diametrically opposed enemies. In some timelines, one of them kills the other. In others, they never meet at all. So what has caused this particular timeline to come about?

Of all the infinite timelines that exist on top of each other across the universe, there is only one in which a random guy with an arguably odd fixation on the Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game is reincarnated into the body of a boy named Jamie Lancaster. Perhaps it was a cruel jape of the gods, but what if it wasn't? Could it be that this seeming folly was part of some grand plan?

In a universe filled with demigods and demons, humans possess the unique ability to capture the cosmic horrors into cards, and use them for their own purposes. More often than not, these purposes manifest as warfare. For the sake of personal ambitions, humans use cards as tools to realize their grand aims, relishing in the beauty of their own chosen path. Does the one known as Jamie Lancaster possess some greater capability in this regard? Surely not.

Why him then, this shapeless, nameless being that desires to save others, only to find himself entangled in fate's grand stage play? Could it be that his second life is only a futile exercise done for the entertainment of pitiless higher beings? Certainly he does not know. That is why he craves to reach the summit, to provide some reprieve from the graveyard of memories that comprises his inner world. Someday, perhaps he will forget what he has lost, if he fills the void with worldly pursuits.

In the end, the reason why this man in particular lives again is inscrutable. But regardless, the gods have chosen now to spin the wheels of fate. And so, the astral and physical planes _twist_.

XxXxxXxXxXxXxXx

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

What the fuck is going on here?

How long was I out?

I woke up sprawled on the lawn in front of the main class building, in the shade of one of those weird statue things they have lining the path. My throat was dry as sandpaper, and my eyes watered uncontrollably.

I slowly leaned into a sitting position, feeling queasy. I was sweating, and my head hurt. Was this Mackenzie's doing, somehow? But she seemed just as confused as I…and where are the others?

It appeared to be the same time of day as before, a bright and breezy afternoon. I leaned my head against the cool stone and closed my eyes for a moment before proceeding.

The duel disk had come undone and was laying on the grass. I picked it up and peered over my cards for damage, luckily seeing none.

"Lancaster? Was this your doing, somehow?" Mackenzie was across the path, just as out of sorts as I was. She looked like she just got off of a punishing flight.

I didn't dignify the ridiculous question with a response, despite the fact that I was just thinking the same thing about her. "Are you guys good?" I called over to my friends, who were all getting to their feet. Atticus seemed to have the hardest time rising, while Kenzan and Alexis seemed pretty much good to go. Bastion helped Jasmine up, and she smiled appreciatively at him.

"Woah, this is totally unchill…" Atticus mumbled before vomiting in a nearby bush.

"Oh, very nice." Alexis rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you're so embarrassing, Atticus."

"I don't blame him, something bizarre just happened." Jasmine said, eyeing Mackenzie and I suspiciously.

"Indeed, it defies all known natural phenomena! Surely it wasn't the result of some form of sorcery?" Bastion questioned.

"I don't know. Either way, it appears our game is over, Jamie." Mackenzie bemoaned. "Whatever just happened seems to have caused a power surge or something, because both of our duel disks have disconnected." Our card holograms were gone as well, and it looked like my duel disk was completely out of power as well as turned off.

"That's too bad. I was enjoying it." I smiled, inwardly thankful that I had a convenient excuse to get out of here. I wonder how Jaden and Aster's little spat is going. Probably not very well for Jaden, if I had to guess, considering he was seemingly hell-bent on retreading canon. As if I wasn't tired of that by now. Wait, did that have anything to do with that weird blast that just came through?

"We'll have to have a proper finish sometime soon. For now, I'd be curious to know what caused that odd energy wave." Mackenzie seemed content to let the fight drop, but her eyes were calculating, serpentine. She got some valuable intel on me from this match. Good thing I've got some neat modern cards no one else has, or I would be in a bit of a tight spot.

"Hey, why are my cards glowing?" Alexis took notice of her duel disk, and indeed the cards were not only glowing, but were completely new and un-sleeved. Her cards had sleeves before…

"What in the sam hill is this?! I've never seen any of these here recruits in my base before!" Kenzan barked. Bastion and Jasmine's eyes widened. They whipped out their cards and marveled as if they were seeing something completely new. Atticus did the same, although he was still on the ground.

"Cyber Angel Vrash…I don't know what that is, but it looks strong!" Alexis commented, befuddled. "What did that wave do to our decks?"

"Souleating Oviraptor…Ultimate Conductor Tyranno…I could pull some crazy maneuvers with these!" Kenzan bared his teeth.

"What is this white card? I'm not the best student, but I'm pretty sure there aren't any cards with white backgrounds…right? Sine-crow? What's a sine-crow?" Jasmine's question lingered in the air. No…no god please no….what the fuck….

"Indeed, and this card resembles the one that Duel Spirit Command Knight used against you. I was quite drunk at the time, I admit, but I do recall a card with a black background, spotted with stars. An Xyz monster." Bastion's mind was undoubtedly whirring into overdrive.

This was rather difficult for me to process. Maybe it's all a dream…yes? "Ok, I'm going back to sleep. Goodnight, everyone." I curled up the grass and closed my eyes. Please Ra, let this all be a dream.

XxXxxxxXXXXxXxXX

(In the Duel Monster Spirit Realm)

Once his officers left, Blade Knight closed the flaps of the tent and bent down to look upon the captured Sonata, the Melodious Diva. The Knight gazed upon her, dead silent until she could finally stand it no more.

"Well? Are you going to play games, or is there something you want, _sir knight_?" Sonata spat the title with disdain. "I thought you served Brron, the mad king."

"Do you think serving someone who everyone calls the mad king is smart?" Blade Knight said with a hint of humor.

"Perhaps not, but I thought you knights were all about vows and honor. Every tale I heard of you claimed that you were the truest of soldiers, loyal to the last, kind to all living beings. And now you take company with demons, kill indiscriminately, and conspire to bring about an age of darkness. For what?" Sonata could not stop the questions from pouring out the moment they started. She knew he would grow angry, would strike her, would make her bleed for her insolence.

But the blow never came. Blade Knight stood up again and leaned against the painted table. "I care nothing for knighthood or vows, and especially not serving some king. What difference does it make serving Brron or Yubel anyways?" He said with a hint of weariness.

She couldn't believe this. Blade Knight was a hero in children's stories, a truly noble figure – not on the legendary status as Mahad the Dark Magician or the White Dragon, but certainly a force to be reckoned with in his own right. What happened to him in the past year? She felt just on the verge of piecing the puzzle together, but she couldn't quite form a cohesive whole out of the information she knew. For some reason, Blade Knight reminded her of someone…

"Why?" She rephrased her previous question, hoping for a true answer this time. As her captor, he was under no obligation to answer her at all. But if she kept him talking, perhaps an opportunity to escape would present itself.

"There is something I must reclaim, at all costs. No matter what I must do, no matter whom I must ally with…anything is fair in the pursuit of my goal. And once my goal is achieved, there will be peace once again." The knight said with iron will. "Nothing else matters."

"And your goal is worth the destruction of the human realm? Of butchering children? What does Yubel reward you for your service?" Sonata dared.

She overstepped. Blade Knight rested a hand on the pommel of the sheathed sword at his waist. In an instant, he unleashed waves of duel energy, so thick and strong it caused the air itself to vibrate. Sonata gasped, finding each breath a tremendous effort. Blade Knight's energy was like a mountain of swords, sharp and merciless.

"Before I make the reality of your situation clear, I will enlighten you on a few misunderstandings. I do not serve Yubel. We are merely partners…and it is a temporary partnership. Once my goal is achieved…bah, why am I saying this to you? I guess it's kinda nice to have someone to talk to…" Blade Knight cursed himself for his moment of weakness before rounding on her again. He seemed unstable for some reason. And he and Yubel certainly did not seem to be good friends…

"I'll not miss my opportunity because of these silly ramblings." His grip tightened on the sword's handle. "You will be traveling with me for the remainder of this campaign. I can't afford to slip away again without Yubel noticing..." Sonata was now certain that Blade Knight was plotting against Yubel.

"If you don't like Yubel, then surely it makes more sense to ally with us. She is insane, as I've sure you've noticed. Probably not the best job security around here, if I had to guess." Sonata staked her claim, desperate though it was. She wondered what made partnering with Yubel different from the Mad King – both were equally violent and unstable as far as she could perceive.

"As I said, I only have one goal, and that can only be done if I'm on the winning side. The mad king's days are numbered, anyone can see that. And once the throne sits empty, the human realms will face the brunt of Yubel's wrath, and it is terrible to behold. But it is nearly time to move camp. You will be giving as comfortable lodgings as we can spare – it is not you I hold a grudge against, just your master." Blade Knight rolled up the rest of the maps and moved to call over his officers from outside the tent.

"Jamie Lancaster is not my master. He's my friend." Sonata shot back, defiant. Blade Knight stiffened, his back still turned.

"How dare you say that name? How, when you know the truth about him? That is not his name!" He rounded on Sonata. What the knight would do next, none would ever know.

Panicked sounds could be heard from outside the tent, growing in volume. More than that, there was an increasingly apparent white noise, implacable and yet growing closer.

Blade Knight gave Sonata a long look before peering outside of the tent flaps to see what was going on. "What the fuck is going on here?" He muttered.

Sonata could feel something coming closer, something big. And then it hit. For a moment, she saw a tremendous, all-encompassing wave of the purest white energy expanding beyond the horizon before she too, was swallowed up. As a duel spirit, she had lived a life far longer than the average human, but never before had she seen or felt such a numbing sensation as the wave engulfed her.

XxXXxxXxxxXXxxxXxXx

Sonata awoke with sore shoulders and a stiff neck. Her bright green hair fell in waves as she sat up. Inexplicably, she felt light and unburdened. Looking down at her handcuffs, she saw that they seemed brittle and rusty compared to before. They hardly seemed to weigh anything at all. With a quick flex of her wrists, the chain broke and her hands were free again. Another tensing of her back and shoulders were enough to dismantle the ropes, and her legs were soon freed again. "How is this possible?" She thought dimly.

And yet, her senses were returning to her very quickly. She had no idea what that wave was, but it didn't seem to affect her very much. It didn't feel as though she had been unconscious for a long time. Remembering where she was, her eyes darted about the room.

Blade Knight was slumped on the floor in an uncomfortable-looking position. Unlike her, he seemed to be down for the count, unless he was playing possum for some reason. She wouldn't put it past him – the so-called knight had become slimy and cunning since she last saw him.

Daringly, Sonata stood up and stretched, getting use to a free range of movement again. She let a breath she had been holding unknowingly, and dashed past the sleeping form of Blade Knight. Running desperately, she got out of the tent and into the camp.

Black tents were spread about for miles, dotting the harsh, grey plains before coming up against a sharply inclined hill. Blade Knight's was by far the largest and most ornate, denoting his role as general.

"That's the same hill I got captured on…" She noted ruefully as she gazed upon the rock. She would not make the mistake of getting caught again – underestimating the competency of Blade Knight's scouts was a grave error. These were not the same brutes that served directly under Yubel.

 _"My energy levels are about back to normal too…just what was that wave?"_ Was it truly some stroke of destiny that happened to act in her favor? Either way, there wasn't time to dwell on it now. She needed to get out of this hellhole and back to Central Academy.

" _But first, here's a parting gift, you bastards."_ Several of the tents were lined with torches so the duel spirits could navigate the camp at night. With a push, Sonata tipped two of the lights directly against the tents, causing the fabric to smolder and burn. The fire spread quickly due to the dry air, and soon enough the camp would probably awaken, depending on how that bizarre wave affected them.

Summoning a significant portion of her energy, Sonata created a portal to the human realm, setting the location for Central Duel Academy. _"It's been a while, Jamie. I hope you're alright, my friend."_ The portal closed moments after she jumped in, leaving behind the burning encampment.

XxXxXxXxxxxXxXXXX

(Jaden Yuki POV)

Jaden had been right at the epicenter of the blast, and it had taken some time for him to get his bearings. He was overwhelmed not only by the sudden defeat Aster had dealt him, but by the eclipsing wall of light energy.

"Hey…are you alright?" He called out to the Aster, who was struggling to his feet across the floor. Jaden didn't know why he was concerning himself with the well-being of a man who derided him and accused him of demonic intent. He doubted Aster would spare him the same courtesy.

"Argh…what on earth was that?" Aster looked just as ragged and shocked as Jaden did, putting to rest any ideas Jaden had about him being the cause of the blast. It seemed to be more of a chain reaction than anything, but a reaction to what? Jaden was out of his depth.

 _"Winged Kuriboh, you got any ideas?"_ Jaden attempted to summon his familiar like he would any other day. Usually, Winged Kuriboh appeared promptly by his side. This time, however, there was no response. _"Buddy? Are you there?"_ Jaden asked again before was distracted.

Up in the stands, Erin, Syrus and Crowler stirred, especially stiff since they had slumped in their chairs. "What do I have in my pocket that's so hot?" Syrus blearily wondered, fumbling a bit before pulling out his dueling deck. "What is going on? I don't recognize these cards at all…"

"Huh?" Erin quickly fished out her own cards. "This isn't my deck…I've never seen any white cards, or black ones either! How bizarre!"

Crowler peered over the pair of them, eyes calculating. Surely he would have examined his own cards, but he didn't appear to have them with.

 _"What the heck are they talking about? I should check my cards too!"_ Jaden withdrew the stack from his duel disk and began to look upon his own cards. They were white, blank and devoid of color or form. With mounting worry, Jaden dimly rubbed at one of the blank cards, thinking this would help. Nothing happened. He held nothing but a featureless, thin piece of cardboard between his fingers.

 _"No…"_ Claws of despair began to tighten in his chest as he realized what had happened. "HEY!" He suddenly roared at Aster, his rage erupting like a geyser. The other three had begun to descend from the stands, but they froze upon hearing Jaden's volcanic yell. They had never heard a sound like that come from him before.

Jaden's fierce gaze bored into Aster. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY CARDS?!" He rounded upon his rival, stomping across the arena. Two of Aster's guards smoothly emerged from the entryways, entering Jaden's peripheral vision. Their presence was the only thing that gave him pause.

Jaden's suspicions were dampened by the clear look of confusion and worry on Aster's face. "What's wrong with your cards?"

"Oh, like you don't know! Now I understand what all that weird talk about light and darkness was about! You think I'm some kinda demon, and this nonsense about the elemental heroes was just a front! You don't just want me to not use heroes, you want to keep me from dueling!" Jaden's tone was black. Dueling was his favorite thing in the world – the game provided a great deal of solace during his lonely childhood. "Well, you got what you wanted, didn't you?" Jaden showed Aster one of the blank cards.

"I…uh…I did not want this to happen. What I said was true. I did not believe you to have dark powers before our match. I only challenged you to keep to my own principles. I swear to God I had no part in what happened to your cards." Aster was now looking down at his own cards, as if they were responsible for the deed. The Red Hero didn't believe it for a second.

For a moment, it looked like Jaden sorely wanted to punch Aster, but the silent, overpowering presence of the guards prevented him from doing so. Jaden thought of all of the incredible challenges he had faced in the past year. He survived those, and he would persevere through this. He thought of the battle against Kagemaru, with Jamie at his side. He thought of the graduation duel against Zane, and the respect between them. He thought of the entrance exams, and Yugi giving him Winged Kuriboh.

 _"Keep it. I have a feeling it belongs with you."_ The king, the true king had said when he bestowed Jaden his spirit partner. And now his partner's voice was muted.

"I will not let anybody destroy my dream." With clenched fists, he swiftly turned his back on Aster and left the arena. Erin and Syrus quickly followed behind him. Doubtless they wanted to know what was going on, and how he would proceed. Normally, Jaden welcomed any time spent with his friends. He treasured them dearly. But now, he only wanted to be away from them. And that thought unsettled him. Glancing behind him, Jaden saw Crowler speaking with Aster, although about what he could not say.

"Are you alright, Jaden?" Syrus, his best friend, was worried as always. Jaden didn't respond at first.

"Hey, don't give up! We'll find a way to get your old cards back! I don't know what that guy did, but I'm sure it can be undone. You'll get your revenge!" Erin was spunky and overconfident, as per usual.

"Yeah…there has to be a way." Jaden mumbled. For the first time in as far back as he could remember, Jaden had no idea how to proceed. "Sorry guys, but I'd like to be alone for a while." He said without looking at either of them.

Syrus looked despondent, but ultimately willing to accommodate his best friend's wishes. Erin, however, didn't think it was a good idea for Jaden to be by himself now.

"Hey, hold on." She grabbed Jaden's shoulder and turned him around. His eyes seemed to be back to their normal color now…why were they different earlier? "Let's go shoot some hoops or something. A good workout always clears my head." Her deep blue eyes smiled and she made a flexing motion with her bicep to accentuate the point.

Jaden mulled the thought over for a moment before agreeing. "Sure, maybe you're right."

XxxXXXXXXXXxxxxxxXXXXXXx

(Seto Kaiba POV)

At first, the new power was intoxicating, filling him with a heady pleasure that no drug could ever match. Blue-Eyes, his truest love in this world, had evolved in newer and more powerful forms, along with many of his past cards. It was evolution, and it had happened overnight. He even began entertaining thoughts of reclaiming the crown. "The power…the absolute power! Oh, fuck yes!" He muttered as he gazed upon the Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon, a Synchro monster (whatever that was).

But the rush passed, and his mind began to whir into overdrive once more. "I don't know what happened, but I didn't have any of these cards before. I know for a fact that these Synchro and Xyz monsters have never existed before today. And if my deck is affected, others surely will have been as well."

Kaiba then picked up the phone and began dialing the relevant people.

The meeting was held that night, all involved agreeing that plans needed to be made. It was a rainy night in Domino, a dark and stormy late summer storm. Kaiba, Mokuba, Roland, and the building maintenance staff were the only ones in the complex. Kaiba drew the blinds to his private office and set up his VPN, sending Roland to check the halls before making the calls.

"He's late." Mokuba spoke to Seto in low, dire tones, most unlike him. Even he knew this was a serious matter, and Seto despised his time being wasted. The presence of the individual in question was of paramount importance to this meeting.

Kaiba did not react or otherwise acknowledge Mokuba's words, focusing on setting up the Skype call. After a minute's time, Roland smoothly entered the room. "Mister Kaiba, the visitor has arrived. Shall I send him in?"

"Hmph. Right on time and not a moment sooner. Yes, of course. Then, shut off the lights out front and join us." Kaiba sniffed. Roland performed a short bow before carrying out the order.

Seto was seated in his swiveling office chair at his desk, while Mokuba was reclined on a beanbag, playing with a paddleball. For a brief time, the sound of the ball bouncing against the wood was the only noise, along with the patter of rain outside. Then, voices began to fill the air as the calls went through. Small holographic monitors filled the air in front of Kaiba and Mokuba, each showing a face.

Ishizu Ishtar, Marik Ishtar, Maximillion Pegasus, Jamie Lancaster, and Jesse Anderson's profiles illuminated the dark room. The prerequisite greetings were made, but each of them knew that this was no social call. Everyone was rather subdued, with one obvious exception.

"My fine friends, it is such a pleasure to see all of your lovely faces once more! Ooh, and here is one I have not yet had the pleasure to meet! What is your name, young man?" Pegasus cooed. Kaiba closely watched Jamie's reaction, but the boy, as always, was a hard one to read.

His green eyes flashed and a sharp smile rose. "Mister Pegasus, it is an honor to meet such a great man at long last. I'm Jamie Lancaster, a student at Duel Academy."

"Mister Lancaster offered his assistance during our cousin's escape four months ago. He was very noble." Ishizu smiled demurely at the boy. Kaiba's eyes flickered between them, his mind brooding. _"It appears the rumors of him being a harem protagonist may be more true than I thought…"_

"I've seen ya around, but I'm not sure I've had the pleasure either. Name's Jesse, nice to meetcha." Jesse interjected, his ten-gallon hat bobbing slightly as he inclined his head.

Already tiring of the trite pleasantries, Kaiba was about to bring up the matter at hand when the sliding doors to his office opened. Standing in the doorway was a man Kaiba had not seen in about four years, and yet he recognized him immediately. The silhouette of the hair alone was rather distinctive.

In the last ten years, Yugi Moto had grown almost a foot in height, only an inch shorter than Kaiba now. His frame, scrawny before, had taken on a healthy layer of muscle, his once baby-like chin now jutting. He wore a muted dark violet hoodie with a faded imprint of the words "KAME GAME" in gold on the front. Dark jeans with far too many belts on them were dampened by the rain, while his hair, bizarre and spiky and multicolored as always, was dry thanks to his hood. His eyes were mostly still the same, a strange shade of indigo and unfailingly kind, but there was an undeniably worldly air to them.

For a moment, his expression was grim and serious, resembling Atem's. But it was only for a moment – after his eyes took in the people in the room, his eyes lit up and he smiled a pure smile. "It's good to see you all again!"

Walking confidently, he shook the hands of the three men present in the room and nodded humbly to the rest. Jesse Anderson's expression was rapt with awe, while Jamie was blank with surprise. "Haha, I didn't realize students would be here!" Yugi said jovially. "Sorry to take you by surprise."

"What in tarnation? Could that really be Yugi Moto on the other side of that there screen?" Jesse whispered in wonder. He then introduced himself by name to the King, trying and failing to contain his excitement. Jamie did the same.

"The King of Games…wow. I never thought I'd really get to meet you one day. Life is full of surprises, huh? Not that anyone here needs reminding of that." Jamie's lame joke triggered polite laughter from Ishizu, playing further into Kaiba's paranoia.

"Indeed. I wish our meeting today were under better circumstances. Ishizu, Marik, I am glad to see you in good health. I was very concerned after hearing of your cousin's betrayal. Is Odion alright?" Yugi's arrival changed the dynamic instantaneously. The others were entirely comfortable deferring to his guiding of the conversation. None dared to speak over him.

"He is fine, though his pride has seen better days. He scarcely leaves the crypts these days. His defeat still shames him." Marik admitted ruefully. "I'm worried about him."

"Me too. I hope he feels better soon. This is too much for one man to handle." Yugi nodded gravely.

"Thank you, Yugi. Send Tea our warmest regards as well." Ishizu replied gracefully.

"Yugi boy, I understand that your anniversary is coming up soon. Five years, isn't that right? My hearty congratulations! Planning on any trips?" Pegasus commented. Kaiba despised Yugi getting more attention than him, but he supposed that many of these people hadn't seen him in years. Unlike Kaiba, the King of Games shunned the spotlight and preferred a quiet, humble life surrounded by his loved ones.

Kaiba could never imagine that life _"Those with power should impose their will and mold the world in their image. A man with Yugi's influence could create an empire to rival mine own, but instead he married his high school sweetheart and traveled the world like some college girl. How absurd! Power is what matters!"_ In truth, he respected Yugi as a warrior and as a man, but he simply could not fathom a desire for peace and simplicity. He couldn't remember ever wanting those things.

"Thank you, Pegasus. I can't believe it's been that long already. No trips, I think. I've seen much of this world in the past ten years, and some down time would be very welcome. Besides, I need to look after my grandfather. He's not moving around so good these days." Yugi answered solemnly. "Besides, I have the feeling that these peaceful days are at an end. As great as it is to reconnect with you all, and meet some of you for the first time, we must acknowledge what happened." Yugi cleared his throat before continuing.

"You all know it as well as I – more than just our cards becoming more powerful, this mysterious forces heralds the return of magic to the world, permeating every layer of our reality. I hoped that it was sealed away for good ten years ago, but something has undone everything Atem and I tried to achieve." Yugi rested his hands on the end of the table, an indescribably heaviness on his face.

"It began around…eh, fourteen months ago. The Duel Spirits grew warlike, and our realm began to intermingle with the shadows. I still remember the day of the entrance exams, my duel spirit Ruby Carbuncle was super worried about something. I figured she was just nervous about my getting into North Academy, but now I think it was something else." Jesse piped in.

Kaiba noticed that Jesse looked quite confused, but strangely, Lancaster seemed to understand Yugi perfectly. His face was ashen, his eyes were far away, and he gulped nervously.

"But who would want to introduce chaos and dark magic back into the fold? Even my informants are at a loss for ideas." Pegasus admitting ignorance was a sure sign that the mystery was a tremendous one.

It was Kaiba who answered. "For some reason, two of my subordinates, Banner and Kagemaru, conspired to steal the Sacred Beasts last year, recruiting a cadre of demons to do so. They failed, thanks in part to my students. Now this year my island houses Reggie Mackenzie, a girl rumored to have dark powers of her own. Not to mention that shithead Sartorius and his show pony Aster Phoenix are using my school as a stage for their antics. Something is afoul at Central Academy. That's why I have Lancaster on this call in the first place."

"More betrayals, eh Kaiba? I suppose you're used to that by now." Pegasus could not resist the opportunity to joke at Kaiba's expense. He laughed foppishly. Kaiba hated that fucking laugh.

The White Dragon slammed his fists on the table. "Every subordinate who has dared cross has been made to regret it. My power is not to be questioned by anyone! EVER!"

"Yeah, we know." Yugi, who not only questioned Kaiba's power before, but also humiliated him several times on the dueling field, said with a nervous chuckle. This successfully defused the tension without offending Kaiba. Getting the conversation back on track, Yugi said, "We must devise a plan. We know there are enemies in the shadows who are plotting something. We're not going to sit by passively and let them."

"We believe it is more important than ever that the crypts be secured. The seals on the Millennium Items and the Egyptian Gods have weakened significantly from that energy wave. Whoever is responsible for that probably wants those as well." Marik explained. "I suspect my cousin had a hand in things. He claims to only want freedom, but I don't believe that for a second."

"Trusting the word of oath breakers is like building on quicksand." Jamie added, a strange look on his face.

"The trouble is that we lack people. Several others in the clan defected after Hank's rebellion, off to who knows where. But still, we shall do our best to keep them safe. I'll stake my life on it." Ishizu added with steely determination.

"Oh, this is dreadful, simply dreadful! But we must press on in these trying times." Again, Kaiba wondered why Pegasus put on this effeminate performance on a council of supposed peers. Did he know something the others did not? "As head of Industrial Illusions, I must take steps to ensure that the state of the meta remains healthy. To do that, I must know how these new cards work and what they are so that they may be mass produced. At your nearest convenience, could you all please send me images of your new cards?" Pegasus requested. Kaiba wondered if he could get away with sending Pegasus false images.

"Will do, sir. I'll talk to mister Foster and an inventory will be done at North Academy." Jesse nodded. _"The boy is an agent of Pegasus, through and through."_ Kaiba noted.

"I will have Crowler do the same at my school." The white dragon said coldly. "Lancaster will ensure that the reports are accurate." He knew that Crowler, although outwardly obsequious, was capable of scheming when it suited him. Lancaster seemed forthright and loyal, and most importantly he wasn't in a position to plot against Kaiba. He knew better than to trust the boy completely – he was too much like Kaiba at that age. The only two people Kaiba truly had faith in were Mokuba and Roland.

"Very good. I'll be in touch with you all on a more frequent basis. I'll get your numbers from Kaiba and we'll set up an encrypted group chat. Beyond that, I suggest we meet once a week for major discussions." Yugi proposed, and predictably they all agreed. Yugi was not a king in the traditional sense of the term, but in the world of dueling there was no greater voice.

After some more small talk, Izhizu, Marik, Pegasus, and Jesse signed off. "Lancaster, just a moment." Kaiba barked before Jamie could leave. The boy silently waited, expectant.

"Any correspondence from Pegasus or Industrial Illusions is to be reported to me _immediately_. And remember, whatever price he lists, I can beat it. Rest assured of that." Kaiba hissed.

"I understand, sir."

"Good. And watch for any news on Chazz Princeton, he's gone dark since the beginning of the school year. I find it very suspicious that neither Pegasus nor Anderson had anything to say about him tonight. Our regular report will be tomorrow night as usual, then you tell me about this Aster Phoenix shit and your duel with Mackenzie."

Jamie nodded. "I will call around eleven, circumstances depending. Good night, sir. Mister Moto, it was an honor to meet you."

"And you, mister Lancaster. Best of luck at school." Yugi said politely before Jamie signed out. Kaiba, Yugi, and Mokuba, who had been silent during most of the conversation, each let out a deep breath.

Yugi and Kaiba shook hands firmly. "It's good to see you again, old friend." The king said graciously. "And Mokuba, you look well. I hardly recognized you with the shorter hair!" He greeted the younger man in the same way.

"That's not all that's changed, Yugi! Seto's been helping me with my dueling! I bet I could take you now!" Mokuba declared, jesting.

"Haha, that could be. It's been many years since I've dueled for real. Joey hasn't played in a while either." Yugi said airily.

"Same here." Kaiba muttered. "But in this new frontier, our old positions aren't guaranteed. I expect many more will be gunning for your title now, more than usual."

"Perhaps. You know how these young bucks are. That could be a good way of getting back into shape. It looks like I'm going to need to." Yugi moved to the window, staring out at the rain-slicked streets.

"I never thought something like this would happen again." The king chuckled sadly. "We called it the story that concludes in light, Joey and Tea and Bakura and I. But the story never really ends. There will always be those who wish to use this game for evil ends."

He turned, subdued, to Mokuba and Kaiba. "He entrusted me with the future, to make sure the story truly ends in light." He didn't need to tell them who "He" was. Even ten years later, Yugi's heart stood in the shadow of loss.

"He'd be proud of you. I know he would." Mokuba smiled reassuringly.

"Well, he would not want me to mope around like this, at any rate." Yugi smiled back to hide the pain. "If I must fight again, so be it. Kaiba," He looked into the cold blue eyes of his only true peer on the battlefield. "I know you probably have your own reasons for fighting in the wars to come. But I figure we both need training to learn our new decks, and I can't think of a better partner."

Yugi's humble request caused Kaiba to smile a genuine smile for a change. "My thoughts exactly, Yugi. And Mokuba will be joining us as well."

Mokuba apparently was not notified of this, judging by his sudden jolt. "Uh, I am?"

Kaiba nodded, his smile turning savage. "We face unknown enemies. We'll need as many strong duelists as possible, and you're my brother, so you need to be stronger than most. Come, it'll be fun."

"Yeah, right! This is gonna suck, isn't it?" Mokuba sighed while Yugi and Kaiba both laughed.

XxXxxxxxXXxXXXXxx

(Zane Truesdale POV)

He had been sleeping when the wave hit, and this far from civilization, he had no idea what had happened to the dueling world. It was just as well – he was focused on his own goal. Clad in a black parka and hood, replete with climbing gear, Zane made his way through the mountains of Nepal. It was a journey he had made before, when he was a boy. He had others with him then, but not this time. This time, he was a man, dedicated to making his own way in the world.

The cold winds were welcome, diverting his mind from the hot shame of defeat. Every time he looked back, the humiliation welled up anew. _"I will not let that happen again. I don't care if it was destiny or God's will. If that's the case, I'll break destiny and tell God to fuck off."_ I was not an honorable thought, but he thought it all the same.

At long last, he reached his destination. It was a clear day at the top, the sky a sharp blue and the rest of the world obscured by vapor and mist. Etched into the mountainside was a temple hewn from stone, older than the game itself. _"Sheppard, I hope you're here. I must know the truth about the Cyber Style, and about you. I must know why I failed."_

Anger darkened his features as he removed his hood and entered the temple.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **No duel this chapter, but we covered a lot of stuff nonetheless. I know some readers are ravenous for duels, especially now that everyone had gotten HUGE upgrades. We'll see one next chapter!**

 **This has always been a part of the plan since jump street. I know some people are viciously opposed to Synchros and Xyzs and will probably drop the story because of this – that is totally fine! I've made my peace with that long ago and if that's how you feel so be it. It really do be like that sometimes. For those that are interested I'm going to explain my thoughts on the various types of Extra Deck summoning. I come into this from the perspective of a TCG player, please keep this in mind.**

 **One thing people often forget/selectively ignore is that the most broken cards in this game were made at the very start. Delinquent Duo, Forceful Sentry, Change of Heart, Confiscation, Cold Wave (Cold Wave would be so nasty dude) and Painful Choice just off the top of my head. Almost all of the currently banned spells and traps came out before Synchros. And they are never coming off unless they get so errata'd as to be useless like how they massacred my boy DMOC. And these spells/traps were worse back then because there were no archetypes and people were legit paying 120 bucks for Gemini Elf because it was the only 4 star monster with 1900 ATK. LMAO but I digress.**

 **Synchros are good for the game since they make level stars matter and give almost all decks a common pool of actually useful resources. In my opinion the main problem with Synchros when they came out was that they were too good. Brionac, Dark Strike Fighter, Goyo Guardian (all pre-errata obviously), Catastor, even Stardust and Black Rose were damn good at the time. They got a lot more balanced over time and the best part is that they reward combo-oriented play and knowing your cards. Synchros are great and they are not OP at all in the modern game. I like them and they will be in this story.**

 **Xyz (or Exceeds as I will primarily be calling them in this story since it's a better name) I am of two minds on. On one hand, it's great they have inherently limited usage of their effects, it's good for balance. However, Exceed heavy decks also have the problem of making their main decks essentially into engines that try to get material on the field and really do nothing else. That was part of the reason Zexal's duels were some of the worst in the series as well, every duel was essentially "summon boss monster turn one, then protect boss monster with improbably convenient spell/trap support for the rest of the game". But Exceed's did not break the game and they will be in this story, I mean they already have been so...haha not a shock I guess.**

 **Pendulums are actually pretty busted lol. The mechanic is inherently strong and Pendulum decks are pretty much always going to be good no matter what the meta is. Even in Master Rule 4 Pendulums still put in work, in fact I think Pendulum Magicians topped a Japan regional last weekend. I have a lot of fun playing Pendulum decks, but due to their complexity and the fact that I would have to change up the board there are currently no plans to have them in the story. Obviously there will not be Links for that reason as well. I actually don't think Links are that bad but that's another discussion. There was really nowhere else for the game to go after the speed and power of Pendulums. Idk maybe I'll speak on Links next chapter or something, it's a long topic lol.**

 **Not trying to come off too harsh, I love this game and I have for a long time, but it's fundamentally flawed. And I don't care. Smash Bros Melee is a super broken game. Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is a busted game. Fortnite is a busted game. And I like to play all of these, I don't care lol. I have fun and I just roll with it until it isn't fun anymore, that's just me.**

 **Anyways, sorry for the long author's note. Hope you guys liked the introduction of Yugi into the story. Catch you all next time. Summer is here!**


	44. To Infinity And Beyond

Chapter 43: To Infinity and Beyond

(Jaden Yuki POV)

Slowly drifting away…

He was slowly sinking in the waves, floating through dark, murky waters. His body felt weightless, his heart heavy. The tide pushed him forward, and he washed up ungracefully on the beach. The dawning day was already hot and humid, with low winds. The only sounds all around were the subtle swaying of fronds and the cawing of gulls.

"Oi!" Erin's boisterous contralto burst through the quiet melancholy. "There you are. I got your board." Hoisting two surfboards over her shoulder, the tanned girl ran across the steep sands as if they were flat as concrete.

Jaden trudged to his feet, his ginger-brown hair sopping down into his eyes as he coughed up saltwater. He wore a white pair of trunks with red stripes running down the sides while Erin wore her usual black and purple wetsuit. She smiled down at him, her dark blue eyes twinkling while her hair was stringy from the waves. Jaden knew that many on the island found her beautiful, but he couldn't see it. _"Man, I feel so disconnected from everything…"_

"Well, you ready to head out again?" Erin asked, putting down the boards. Hers was a sleek blade that carved through the water, but Jaden couldn't get the hang of surfing – his balance was completely off.

"Heh, just let me sit down for a second, I'm exhausted." Jaden mustered a ghost of his old smile. She was clearly raring to go, full of energy, but she decided to oblige him anyway and took a seat. Normally, he would have no difficulty matching her energy, but he wasn't the same without his dueling deck.

"What should I do, Erin?" He asked again. She wanted to teach him surfing as a way of getting his mind off of things, but it had failed. He was a duelist, not a surfer. But what is a duelist without cards? What's a craftsman without his tools, or a knight without a sword? Sure, he could go buy some structure decks and make a competent build of some other strategy like zombies or dragons. But he didn't want to do that. Those heroes were his, and he had a bond with them. And now, not only were they taken from him, everyone else had amazing new cards that surpassed all previous limits. The dueling world was abuzz about these Synchro and Xyz monsters, and all of the previously established tenets of the meta were shattered. _"What is my place in this new world?"_

Erin sighed. "I don't know. There's so much about this that's over my head. It's maddening! I want to know the truth about things, but my understanding is only at a surface level…"

Jaden knew that the universe was full of dark and scary things, but wonders as well. He had tried to run from it, but there was no denying that he was part of a deeper world, regardless of his wishes. _"I have dark powers, but why? I have no idea how to use them or what I should use them for."_ When he tried to remember the nightmares, the word king came up unbidden. Darkness….lion…throne…love…usurpers….he remembered those as well. Moreover, he remembered a pair of eyes, one a shockingly bright teal and the other a burning orange. But apart from that he could not identify any other details. He was thankful he slept well these days, but he burned to know the truth of those visions.

He felt bad for loading this on Erin's shoulders, as she was clearly ill-equipped for it. But there was no one else to talk to about it, and no solutions seemed clear.

"Woah, look at that!" Erin's sudden exclamation jolted Jaden from his uncharacteristically melancholy reverie. Up in the sky was a shooting star of the purest white, the celestial body leaving a snowy trail along the pink and blue sky.

"I've never seen a shooting star before. How cool!" Erin grinned.

"Yeah…that's really something." For some reason, Jaden's eyes were drawn to the comet's path across the stars. But the fixation was only passing, and for the rest of the day he walked aimlessly around the island. He ended up going to sleep around eight, right as the parties were beginning around the island. Jaden could not find the energy to partake in such frivolity, and slept heavily.

That night, a dream visited him again.

He was washed up on another shoreline, in the dream as it had been in life, earlier that day. But the damp weight of his clothes, along with the cold that rattled his bones, seemed too real for a dream. And this seemed no ordinary shoreline.

In the sky was that same comet, a cold alabaster body that cut across space like a wound. Otherwise, the early morning sky had none of the stars in the same places Jaden was used to.

He also didn't remember the planet Jupiter being so close before. The infamous red eye of the fifth planet from the sun seemed to stare down at him. At first, it was blurry, like a watercolor painting. However, before long the swirling orange and white clouds of the nearby planet appeared in sharp relief before Jaden's eyes.

 _"Space…"_ Jaden mouthed, the word and its implications encompassing his thoughts. The setting barely shocked his senses, so bizarre his life had been this past year. He rose to his feet easily, his body seeming lighter than usual. Now that he had a better look at the water, he noticed it was more of a darker indigo in color than any sea on Earth he had ever seen. Numbly, Jaden turned from the water to look at the sky, which was also a bizarre shade of indigo. All around him were blooming purple lilies and jasmine, the plants releasing a heavy, sweet scent as they encroached around the sand.

"The stars aren't in the same places. But they are still the same stars as before." Jaden mused before gazing down at his hands. "And just because I have dark powers doesn't mean I am dark, or a bad person. But without cards that are truly my own, I cannot become who I want to be, dark powers or otherwise." Contemplation was not in Jaden's nature, but the words and thoughts naturally occurred to him as he rested in the cool shadows.

"Quite a conundrum. It appears things did not go as you wanted." A voice spoke behind Jaden, causing the redcoat to swivel around. The other being standing on the shoreline was a slim, athletic humanoid covered from head to toe in dark purple armor that glimmered in the water's reflection.

Jaden thought that he looked rather like an Elemental Hero, though certainly one he had never seen before. "Everyone must accept their nature, and that is a sort of destiny. But simultaneously, the knowledge of one's own nature allows for a wider range of choices." The masked man continued cryptically.

"Hey, it looks like this is one of those situations where you know me, but I have no stinking clue who you are. Seems like that's been happening a lot lately. I'm Jaden, Jaden Yuki. Are you Batman?" Jaden could not comprehend the bizarre babbling coming from this guy's mouth, so he tried to restart the conversation.

The man in purple calmly walked to Jaden's side, staring out at the ocean, an ocean that bled into the starry sky at the horizon's edge. "I apologize. You have had no lack of cryptic dreams these past months. But the truth, the real truth, is too much to parse out at once. It would destroy you, as would the power."

"Why don't you try me? I bet I could handle it." People who underestimated him tended to eat their words before long.

"You are angry." The masked hero observed.

"Yeah, because my cards were destroyed by Aster Phoenix." Jaden spat the name. For some reason, he opened up to this stranger and assumed he would know what Jaden was talking about.

"He wasn't responsible for that deed. He was misled by forces beyond his understanding."

"Huh?" Jaden recalled Aster's confusion at the sight of his blank cards. His anger prevented him from seeing it at the time, but Aster's reaction did not fit the absolute conviction he displayed during the fight. "What do you mean, Batman?"

"Rather like you, Aster has powers that he lacks full control of. You noticed it during the duel, I'm sure. A white aura and silver eyes to contrast your black and gold. The Light of Destruction's power courses through his veins and lends to his convictions like an enabler to an addict. Unlike you, however, Aster was not born with such tremendous duel energy. It was nurtured within him by his manager, and best friend. A man named Sartorius." The masked man spoke with tremendous weight, and the name _Sartorius_ gave Jaden chills.

"Sartorius…are you saying he's the reason my cards became this way?" Jaden muttered, comprehending.

"…Somewhat. Sartorius is also a pawn, albeit one step higher on the totem pole than Aster. Your true foe is the light of destruction; a cosmic force that exists in opposition to the darkness of creation within you. The wave was intended to depower you by any means necessary. Not only did it destroy your cards, it upgraded everyone else's in an attempt to permanently neutralize your threat level." The masked man watched Jaden's reaction carefully, as usually people don't take the idea of a godlike entity trying to kill them very well.

"Man, that's totally unchill! Usually, the light is a good thing, right? At least, it's like that in the comics." Jaden put his hands behind his head and whistled. "Wow, that's crazy. So what's the game plan, Bruce?"

At last, the masked man let out a sigh of irritation. "I am not Batman. As for my true name, you'll learn it soon, once you master these." A purple-armored hand reached out to Jaden, a deck of new mint condition cards in wait.

"Woah! What kind of cards are these? I hope they're hero cards!" Jaden grew excited, like a child presented with a cookie. He took the deck, and thumbed through its contents. "Oh yeah, now we're cooking! This is mondo cool, bro!"

"Mondo cool, indeed." The masked hero chuckled. "Aster Phoenix's hero monsters grew more powerful from that wave. With these, you'll be ready to fight him again when the day comes. But first, your powers will need further development. If you are willing, in a week's time I could train you not only in these cards, but in controlling the darkness of creation within."

"Hey, why not! I can always have Bastion do my homework or something, he seems to enjoy it anyways. Lead on, teach!" Jaden pumped his fist in the air, feeling the spirit of a new challenge excite him. With these cards, he was alive again. "By the way, does this mean I get to be Robin?"

"For the last time, I am not Batman!"

XxXxxxxxXxXxxxXXXXxxxXx

(Zane Truesdale POV)

"I wondered when you would return."

The temple was clean, cold, and dark. Torches lined the rooms. The flame seemed natural but in reality they were electrically generated, the cords painted to blend in with the walls. Within the stone pillars and walls, venous neon blue circuits coursed through. The essence of the place was illusion – it seemed ancient and weathered, but in truth was a sleek modern construct. Zane had never thought much of it before, but his current doubts about Sheppard cast everything about his childhood dojo in a similarly suspicious light.

Though the hall was chilly, mountain air creeping nooks and crannies, Zane was eager to shed his climbing gear. He laid his parka, harness, helmet, and all of his other trappings in a neat pile next to one of the pillars, taking his time to answer the man's question.

Sheppard was clad in a burgundy variant of the Central Academy uniform – Zane wondered briefly why he would personally customize the uniform in this way, but ultimately he didn't really care. Time in the mountains had sharpened some of the man's paunch, though he was still probably a good thirty pounds overweight. His goatee had a little more volume to it, and the thin mustache was gone.

"We have both found ourselves far from the island." Sheppard continued, and indeed the harsh mountain winds couldn't be more different from the balmy sea breeze.

"I graduated. My schooling is finished." Zane scoffed inwardly at the comparison he raised between them. Sheppard graduated from nothing – he was shitcanned by Kaiba and practically sent into exile. And yet, they were driven to the same corner of the world all the same…

"That it has. But your education, well, that never truly finishes, does it?" Sheppard replied. Zane barely managed to avoid openly rolling his eyes.

"No, I suppose not. Indeed, I find myself coming before you once again a student. My previous ways have failed me, and I must know the best way to proceed. I must learn new ways to duel." Zane played along, feigning an ingratiating demeanor.

Sheppard, to his credit, saw right through it. He laughed genially. "Oh Zane, it was never in your nature to grovel. I see the truth in your eyes – you desire power, as you always have. It's always been the same, since you were a boy."

Zane bristled, but his annoyance was mastered by anticipation. Like a hound, he smelled the impending battle in the air. He still had questions for Sheppard, but he had made his mind up on the climb that he would fight the man anyways, to prove himself to his former teacher.

"You felt the blast, I'm sure. Even as far as here, the cards were transformed and made more powerful. I'm sure your own deck has seen some changes." Sheppard's next words utterly baffled Zane.

"What blast? What are you talking about?" Zane's hands shot to his backpack, withdrawing his deck from within.

"You…didn't see the enormous white wave that blanketed this entire planet? The dueling world is in chaos. All official tournaments have been postponed while the card databases are being reconstructed. The duel disks underwent a mass update, and hundreds upon hundreds of new cards have been found all over the planet. Somehow, we have been thrust into a new age." Sheppard intoned.

Zane thumbed through his deck, not recognizing the contents within. They were still Cyber Dragons, but different from before. Not just different, but more powerful as well. As his eyes darted over the text, his mind already began to think of ways the new cards could work together.

"…I must have been asleep at the time." Zane was not aware of this wave at all. Of course, he had been climbing for the past few days, far away from any contact with civilization. Whatever Sheppard was talking about, his deck had changed. And that meant everyone else's did as well. Zane's mind wandered to his friends at Duel Academy, along with Aster Phoenix. "That means his cards have become stronger as well." The Kaiser muttered.

"You mean your friend Jamie?" Sheppard misunderstood Zane's words. "I suppose he would be the top student in Obelisk Blue now. And one of Kaiba's dogs, if my understanding is correct." His haughty tone told Zane exactly what he thought of that.

"Most call Jamie a lion, not a dog. If you start with that, the animal metaphors will get too confusing. Besides, I was talking about Aster Phoenix." Zane replied blandly. "If I wish to advance in my pro career, I will have to face him again. To do that, I will need new cards, especially if his deck has grown stronger due to this wave or whatever. That's why I want to know what's in the box."

"The Box" had been a subject of niggling curiosity for Zane since he had first begun training here. When the five great duel academies were first undergoing construction, many rich parents with the foresight to anticipate the game's growing validity as a career path sent their children to training camps all over the globe, clamoring for a place of power in the new world that Seto Kaiba was creating.

The Truesdale's were one such family. From the beginning, Zane was forged to be a great duelist. His father worked in real estate, but Zane found the idea of flipping cards more appealing than flipping houses since he could first read the cards. Though he was blessed with a privileged childhood, months up in the mountains of Nepal hardened Zane with a grit and determination that few could match.

Sheppard instilled in him and the other children values of hard work, honor, and fair play. And yet, the box lurked in one of the temple's back rooms. Sheppard insisted that the cards were dark, and expressly forbidden. And yet, he hoarded them anyways. He taught them to duel, and yet when the shadows encroached and demons descended upon the island, he sat back and entrusted countless lives to schoolchildren. If he was truly such a great duelist, why couldn't he have fought? Why send the kids?

"Those cards are forbidden, you know this. I will not allow you to use them for any reason, especially for something as petty as professional striving." Sheppard rebuked his former student from on high.

"Yes, I remember your constant fretting over how very forbidden the cards are. Didn't you realize that would only stoke the flames of my curiosity? You should have told me that they were useless or weak. Besides, a card itself cannot be dishonorable, surely, if the duelist has honor." Zane argued further. "Tell me, if these cards are so powerful, why didn't you use them to defend the island against the Shadow Riders?"

Sheppard finally looked uncomfortable. "I had duties as headmaster that needed seeing to. I couldn't just drop everything and be ready to duel." The excuses rang hollow and weak to Zane's ears. In the past year, Zane had learned that honor was the privilege of the strong, and only those who are also strong duelists garner respect as leaders. It was the same in Obelisk Blue – the place was made of spoiled, entitled children who would only bend to force. They still held honor, fairness, and kindness in some regard, but only if they were backed by undeniable strength, like a silk glove over an iron gauntlet.

"Why not? Crowler seemed capable of balancing teaching with guarding his key. He could have died, you know." Indeed, Zane's esteem for his clownish head of house had risen inestimably after seeing him fight for the lives of his students against Banner.

"I do not believe relying on brute force makes for an effective leader! Dueling is not about the acquisition of power for its own sake, it's about honor and respecting your opponent! What has become of you, Zane?" Sheppard had little to say about Crowler, most likely because any comparison would reflect upon him unfavorably. Zane could feel how useless this conversation was.

 _"All this talk of honor and respect is only to justify inaction. It's all empty. I must go higher, above this."_ Zane thought.

"I see that we have come to disagree on many things. Be that as it may, I cannot leave empty-handed." The Kaiser intoned lowly.

"I still believe there is honor in you. There is a good reason the cards you speak of were hidden away. I cannot give them to you, even if I wanted to." Sheppard retreated up the stairs and withdrew an ornate wooden box from a secret compartment on the wall. "But I see that action is the only way to reach you, so I will show you them in a duel."

Zane grinned. "Fine by me." He readied his own cards. Using these new monsters, spells, and traps against his former teacher would test every one of his skills as a duelist. "I rather enjoy settling things by force."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

I relished in the relative silence of the dawn and the stillness of the water, the lake's glasslike surface disturbed only by the movement of my fishing bobber. Alexis sat to my back in the canoe, yawning. I took a deep draught of my coffee before rolling the line back in.

"Let's move out a little deeper." I said briefly, and she began to roll her line in as well. Alexis wanted to go fishing with me, so I brought her along this morning. I could tell she found it dreadfully boring, but she made no mention of it. She wouldn't be coming along next time though, and frankly I was glad, for I preferred to fish alone.

"Exciting stuff, yes?" I flashed a sharp smile.

Alexis rolled her eyes. "I figured it wouldn't be a thrill ride, but I just wanted to try it. I'm glad you like it. My father is big into fishing as well. Maybe this summer you could go out with him."

She didn't mention her parents that often, so I found this interesting. "I suppose he taught you, huh? And here I thought you were a natural."

"Well, I was always better at outdoorsy things than my brother, I'll tell you that much. I always used to beat him at tag, foot races, tree climbing, you name it." She laughed, bragging uncharacteristically.

"Well, he's prettier than you, so at least he has that going for him." I joked.

"Always sharp, aren't you? He's finally gotten off of my back about that stupid idol singing garbage. That's one upside about things being so crazy lately. Him and Jasmine have been so tied up with duels lately they haven't had time for anything else." Alexis noted, growing sober.

It was true; now that every student had access to new cards, many ambitious Obelisk Blues were challenging Atticus and Jasmine's places as fourth and fifth ranking officers in the Obelisk Force. Impressively, they were actually beating the challengers back. Jasmine in particular was quickly proving that she had truly earned her position. Alexis, Erin and I scarcely needed to trouble our selves with these upstarts.

In truth, it was Jasmine herself who I was most worried about. I knew that she was catching on to the fact that I hadn't dueled anyone since the new meta dropped. I'm sure many of the Blues had noticed as well. The fact is, I wasn't sure that Divas could compete against some of these archetypes, even ones like Six Samurai. The shoe was on the other foot now – for so long I could be comfortable in the knowledge that I had a power over others. Now, that power was threatened and possibly inadequate in the face of my peers. I cursed myself for not capitalizing on my advantage while I had it, but in the end I still thought it was the right move at the time. I couldn't have anticipated this, and I still had no idea whose plans this paradigm shift served.

"That reminds me, Jasmine has been looking for you." Alexis added.

Lucky me - Jasmine was always such a pleasure to speak with. This couldn't be anything good – hopefully it was only the usual annoyances. "Do you know what for?" I sighed.

Alexis shrugged. "Not sure. But I have a few ideas." She turned around and placed her head on my shoulder. "I wish you two would get along better. I feel like something big is coming soon, and our class needs to be united."

"Yeah…" Alexis did have a point. Jasmine was not a threat by herself, but if she chose to betray me for whatever stupid reason, my true enemies would have another ally to bludgeon me with. It is easier to stamp out sparks than it is to quell a forest fire.

XxxXxXXxXXXXxxxxxxXX

(Zane Truesdale POV)

Since he lost the roshambo, Zane was forced to take the first turn. An already unfavorable position was compounded by his unfamiliarity with his new cards. The Extra Deck in particular was hard to understand. Not only were there new fusion monsters in there, there were some odd black cards called Exceeds along with them.

"I'll start by casting the spell **Cyber Revsystem**. This lets me summon **Cyber Dragon (2100/1600)** from my hand. And while it's on the field, that Cyber Dragon cannot be destroyed by card effects. I'll end with a set card." Zane's familiar slithered onto the battlefield, as sleek and serpentine as always. He probably could have done more, but he still wasn't entirely sure how his new cards synergized.

"Your old style will not reap the same rewards now as it did before, Truesdale. I'll demonstrate that now! I activate the field spell **Cyberdark Inferno**!" The temple floors around them were wreathed in flame, the heat rising in an unnatural, uniform way to create fiery walls around them.

"While this field is in effect, no Cyberdark monsters can be destroyed or targeted by card effects." Sheppard explained. Zane figured that he would see a Cyberdark monster firsthand soon, so he did not bother asking about them.

"Then, I'll play **Allure of Darkness**. This lets me draw two cards, as long as I banish a dark monster afterwards. After that, I'll cast **Foolish Burial,** letting me send a monster from my deck to the grave." Sheppard was playing with speed and command uncharacteristic to his normally lethargic, genial persona – it was as sudden a transformation as any Zane had ever seen.

"Now, I'll summon **Cyberdark Keel (800/800)** in attack mode!" Sheppard's first monster was a slimmer, smaller version of Zane's Cyber Dragon, only with black plating in lieu of chrome.

"It may look weak, but this monster can grow more powerful by resurrecting fallen creatures from the grave! Cyberdark Keel's effect lets me equip a level three or lower dragon monster from the grave to itself. By equipping **Cyberdark Cannon (1600/800)** , Keel gains its attack points, raising it to 2400!"

Sheppard's mechanical wyrm linked together with a bizarre violet machine with spikes protruding from the chinks in its plating. Now, the monster had a vicious looking tail, heavy and sharp. "Now, I attack your Cyber Dragon!"

With dizzying speed, the Keel flicked its tail, a cannon protruding from the appendage. With unerring accuracy, a proton blast shattered Zane's dragon. **(Zane 3700/Sheppard 4000)**

"Cyberdark Keel's secondary effect activates when it destroys a monster. After the battle, it deals 300 points of effect damage to you." Zane was lashed by the beast's tail, forcing him to take a step back. There was no denying that the former teacher had won the first exchange of blows. **(Zane 3400/Sheppard 4000)**

"You have my sympathy in this respect, Truesdale. Were it not for that mysterious blast, your chances would have been much better. But you don't even know how to use those new cards of yours, much less how to combat mine. Was it not your philosophy that a duelist must know how to truly play their cards, and not just use them?" Sheppard bleated.

 _"Man, I'm hungry. I hope Sheppard's got some food tucked away around here. He certainly doesn't look like he's missed any meals."_ Zane wasn't listening to a word Sheppard was saying. When he noticed the guy was still flapping his gums, he rolled his eyes.

 _Fuck me, this guy likes to hear himself talk. No wonder he worked in academia so long."_ Zane thought wryly, his inner voice taking on the tone of Jamie. He wasn't listening to a word Sheppard was saying. _"I think his sense of humor is starting to rub off on me. Of course, Jamie and Atticus are talkers as well. At least their words can make me laugh. This is just tiresome."_

"Erm, Truesdale? Are you in there? It's your move? Hello?" Sheppard waved.

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about…food." Zane cursed his lack of wit.

"…I see. You know, I'm surprised you aren't more focused on these cards of mine, since they're the entire reason you came here and all."

"Indeed they were, but now I am not sure about them. I'll be sure to give you my final opinion when I wield them myself."

Sheppard scowled. "Lancaster's arrogance has been a bad influence on you, Zane. I've never liked that one, skilled duelist though he may be. He treats his cards like tools and judges them only through the lens of usefulness in battle, like a cold prospector. How could you be friends with him, knowing his ways?"

"I would not allow myself to be unduly influenced by Jamie, nor anyone else. He is his own man, as I am." Zane coldly shut down that route of conversation. He suspected Sheppard actually disliked Jamie because he enjoyed a position of influence with Kaiba, while the former headmaster of Duel Academy had been essentially blacklisted from working in academia because of his incompetent handling of the Shadow Riders. But this had little to do with his mission, and he quickly thought no more of it.

"My draw." Again, his mind drifted to the black cards in his extra deck. He read all of them, albeit briefly, but it was obvious how powerful they were. Now, he had to figure out how to use them. "I'll start by playing the spell **Cyber Emergency** , allowing me to add a Light Machine from deck to hand."

"Then, I'll normal summon **Cyber Dragon Core (400/1500)** in attack mode." The small, weak circuit core that comprised the Cyber Dragon's main body crawled along the dojo floors. Using the beast's effect, Zane was allowed to search a "Cyber" spell or trap.

"Then, I'll cast the spell **Machine Duplication**. I remember you taught me this little trick, Sheppard. When I possess a machine with less than 500 attack points on the field, I can call forth two monsters from my deck with the same name as the one I control."

"And Cyber Dragon Core's name is also treated as Cyber Dragon while it is on the field…" Sheppard finished as two larger, full-power Cyber Dragons rose from the ground, posing on either side of Zane's frame, the core looking all the more fragile in the middle. However, all of them were weaker than the Cyberdark Keel.

Zane believed he understood the process behind the summoning technique – something about it was instinctual to him. But now he had to muster the will and the strength to actually do it. Bracing himself, Zane called upon a well of duel energy within him.

"I'll use my two Cyber Dragons as materials to construct the overlay network!" In order to use the black cards, he needed two monsters on the field with equal level stars. They Cyber Dragons each shared a level of five, so he placed the two cards on top of each other in one monster zone. On top of the overlaid Cyber Dragons, he was able to play a monster that exceeded the concept of levels.

"Cyber Dragon, surpass your previous limits and stake your claim in this new era! I Exceed summon the Rank 5 **Cyber Dragon Nova (2100/1600)**!"

Onto Cyber Dragon's frame formed a chassis of orange and black plating, a red tank of lava-like fluid attaching to its back. Wings of silver expanded from the top of the tank, red veins stretching through them. Gold studs ran along the dragon's body. Twin white spheres lazily circled around the beast's body, leaving pale streaks behind their paths.

Sheppard grit his teeth, his arm shielding his eyes from the monster's intense light. "Incredible…you may have lost your way, but there is no denying your prodigious skills, Zane. To successfully utilize one of the new summoning methods without any training is indeed impressive."

"Of course I c-URK!" Zane lurched forward, his heart suddenly burning inexplicably. Pain shot through his body like electricity, making his teeth ache. _"What's going on here? Why does it hurt so badly?"_

Sheppard noticed this. "I suspected the new power came at a price. Synchro and Exceed summoning are not native to this world, they were brought over by some unknown force. To use them forces our duel energy to manifest in an unnatural way – some pain is to be expected."

Zane scrunched his face and fought through it. "Success never comes without a price, I know that much. This is nothing to me. In fact, I plan to go one step further!" His teeth set to grinding and his fingers coiled into fists.

Now Sheppard looked truly surprised. "What? How? That shouldn't be possible…

"By using Cyber Dragon Nova as an overlay material, I can evolve to a Rank 6 monster in this special case!" Black and orange energy surged from Zane's body, his frame only observable through a harsh lens of the dusky light. "Heh…you should know that real duelists cannot be coldly quantified by what is already possible…my potential has no limits! I summon **Cyber Dragon Infinity (2100/1600)**!"

Now, black armor completely covered the Cyber Dragon's chassis, its wings spreading to be nearly as wide as the beast was tall. Its tail extended further and further, coiling and undulating with boundless energy.

"Cyber Dragon Infinity gains 200 attack points for every material it has, meaning it's at 2700." Since the field spell prevented Cyberdarks from being targeted, Zane could not use its other effect…yet. "Now, I'll activate my trap card, **Cybernetic Overflow**!"

With a high keel, electric power surged from Cyber Dragon Infinity's tail. "I can banish Cyber Dragons from my hand, field, or graveyard to activate this effect. Depending on how many I banish, I can destroy that many cards on the field! But this time, all I need is one. By banishing the Cyber Dragon in my graveyard, I can destroy your field spell!"

With a super explosive wave, the ring of flames encircling the field was blown cleanly away, leaving only charred stone as its legacy. "Grr…when Cyberdark Inferno is destroyed, I can add a "Fusion" card from my deck to my hand." Sheppard remarked, recovering somewhat from the onslaught.

Only, Zane was just getting started. "Now, I use Cyber Dragon Infinity's monster effect! Once per turn, I can target another attack position monster on the field and transform it into an Exceed material. Normally, Exceed monsters only have two, maybe three materials, limiting the usage of their effects. But not this monster. Cyber Dragon Infinity's potential has no end, much like mine. Makes its name rather appropriate, yes?"

Blue electric surges encaged the Cyberdark Keel, forcefully transforming it into another orbiting sphere around Zane's creature, increasing its attack even further to 2900. "You were right, Sheppard…it is a brave new world out there. And I will forge my own way in it, with my own ideals! I attack directly with infinite evolution burst!"

The focused, concentrated wave of plasma bowled over Zane's former sensei, causing him to roll like some poor imitation of Sonic the Hedgehog before he sprawled on the floor. **(Zane 3400/Sheppard 1100)**

"Urgh…" Sheppard struggled to find his footing. Zane moved to end his turn before another, more intense wave of pain tore through him like a knife through cloth. Zane hissed through clenched teeth. _"God, that hurts like a bitch! How am I supposed to duel like this all the time?!"_

"...Is this what you wanted, Zane? To let the power control you, for it to punish you as a master would a slave?" This time, the plea seemed truly genuine and worried, but Zane was beyond caring. The pain was nothing. In fact, it was starting to feel good…

"Let your cards do the talking, Sheppard. I'll listen to that. I set a card and end my turn."

"As you wish." The former teacher gave up on words and drew his next card. "I'll start by playing the spell **Mind Control** , allowing me to gain control of your monster until the end of the turn!"

"No way." Zane responded, one of the orbs around Cyber Dragon Infinity shattering, its aura protecting the beast from the spell's effect. "Once per turn, Cyber Dragon Infinity can negate any effect activation, as long as I give up a material." The dragon's attack power dropped to 2700, still formidable.

"I was hoping you'd do that, because now I have the rest of the turn to employ my real strategy! I'll start by playing **Card of Sanctity**!" The two duelists replenished their hands, the momentum shifting back into Sheppard's favor.

"And now, I'll play **Future Fusion**! I'm sure you remember this card well. By sending fusion materials from my deck to the graveyard, I can summon a fusion monster onto my field in two turns. And I choose Five-Headed Dragon!" This allowed Sheppard to send five dragon monsters from his deck to his graveyard. Zane was surprised that Future Fusion hadn't been errata'd by I2 at some point – the card was kinda busted, as its so-called cost was actually a benefit for many decks, allowing them to put useful cards in the graveyard for recurrence or some other purpose. But then, he supposed it would probably become completely useless if they did drop the errata.

"Next, I'll summon **Cyberdark Horn (800/800)** in attack mode." Much like the Cyberdark Keel, this was a draconic machine in black armored plating, though this creature had a more prominent jaw and claws than the previous one did. "This monster has the same ability as Cyberdark Keel, allowing me to equip a low-level dragon from the grave…however, I'm not going to use it." Sheppard's expression resembled one a teacher might have when presenting a complex problem to a student – it appeared he wasn't ready to give up on Zane yet

Zane was initially puzzled. At his request, he read Cyberdark Horn's text. _"Dark-attribute…I think I get it. As long as I can negate it next turn, I should be fine."_ The Kaiser mulled it over.

 _"I set two cards and end my turn."_ Sheppard finished with a wave.

"I can see through your ploy, Sheppard! I draw!" Zane declared aggressively.

"Do you? Let's find out. Activate reverse card, **Crush Card Virus**!" It was as Zane suspected – Sheppard was taking a page out of his former bosses' playbook. "By sacrificing a Dark-attribute monster with 1000 or less attack points, I can destroy all monsters in your hand or field with greater than 1500 attack points. Including your Cyber Dragon!" As Sheppard spoke, a dark violet wave of toxicity set in on Zane's beast.

"I won't allow it! I activate Cyber Dragon Infinity's effect to negate it!" Zane replied in kind, preparing to stop the disease before it spread.

"As I expected. I would not have played this card without some sort of contingency, Zane. In kind, I chain **Solemn Judgment** , negating your dragon's effect and destroying it at the cost of half my life points." The bald professor was able to outpace his student by a step, causing the Crush Card Virus to land unabated. Cyber Dragon Infinity was quickly eaten by the malicious virus, leaving Zane defenseless. **(Zane 3400/Sheppard 550)**

Zane was forced to send a monster from his hand to the grave, leaving him with nothing to mount an offense with. "Damn it…I set a monster and a face-down card before ending my turn." All of that pain for nothing! These new cards were indeed powerful, but far from unbeatable.

"Oh? I'm surprised you have monsters with less than 1500 attack points in your deck. But it matters little. In one more turn my Future Fusion will come to pass, allowing me to summon Five-Headed Dragon to the field. My draw." Sheppard sure loved the sound of his voice, Zane thought again.

"I summon **Cyberdark Edge (800/800)**." This monster lacked a face like the other two Cyberdarks. Rather, it looked more like a dragonfly, a small central body held up by enormous twin wings, formed by blades. "And from my graveyard, I'll equip **Cyberdark Claw (1600/800)** , raising my monster's total attack to 2400." Another odd mechanical contraption attached to the pair of wings. It resembled a spider, but with steel claws for legs.

"I suspect I won't like your face-down, but I don't need to see for sure. Cyberdark Edge's special effect allows me to attack directly as long I halve the creature's attack power." Sure enough, the Cyberdark Edge was able to fly over Zane's set monster and scratch at him directly. Zane stumbled back a few steps, but was able to stay afoot easily. **(Zane 2200/Sheppard 550)**

"I'll end with a face-down." Although Zane held the life advantage, Sheppard had him in a pretty bad spot. Not only could he bypass his defenses with Cyberdark Edge, Crush Card Virus was still in effect for two more turns, preventing him from fighting back. Furthermore, next turn Sheppard would get a Five-Headed Dragon to bludgeon him with.

In terms of brute force, Zane couldn't compete. But all of those practices with Jamie clued him in to other ways to win. Jamie could never match the attack power of his strongest monsters, but when he won he did so through sly misdirection and predicting Zane's movements before he could make them, countering and striking when Zane was at his weakest. Now, he had to put himself in that mode in order to win.

It was hard for him to think this way, but a plan began to form before too long. "I can do this! I'll start by playing the spell card Overload Fusion, allowing me to banish machine monsters from my grave in order to fusion summon a Dark Machine from my extra deck! By banishing two Cyber Dragons, I can play **Chimeratech Rampage Dragon (2100/1600)**!"

Onto Zane's field appeared a small, yet vicious twin-headed dragon, partially clad in the same black and orange armor that characterized the Cyber Dragon Exceed monsters. However, as soon as it appeared, it began to fade away, eaten away by the greedy Crush Card Virus.

Zane didn't look troubled at all, sparking Sheppard's curiosity. "If you wished to test if my trap was still in effect, it clearly does. Perhaps you should surrender, Zane. You still have much to learn."

"About fusion summoning? I think not. I knew perfectly well your crush card was still in effect. I simply needed to get two Cyber Dragons banished, as well as a machine fusion monster in the grave, so I could perform my true fusion summoning! Activate quick-play spell, **Cyberload Fusion**!"

Sheppard did not look flabbergasted, but clearly was unsure where Zane was going. "During Jaden's duel with Banner, he fusion summoned using monsters from the banished zone. I thought it was an impressive move, so you could imagine how glad I am that I can do that same thing now! By fusing three Cyber Dragons from my banished zone, I can fusion summon **Cyber Eternity Dragon (2800/4000)**!"

From the snowy mountains slithered in an enormous eastern dragon, lacking wings but making up for it in its seemingly endless body length, stretching to the horizon. Along its chrome plating ran minty green plates that obscured laser cannons. Its appearance rather reminded Zane of the dragon that granted wishes from that one manga his brother read when they were kids…Dragon Piece, was that it? Or was it Bleach? No, that didn't sound right. He couldn't keep track of them all. Either way, he was now in business with a new fusion monster.

"It's fruitless, Truesdale! My Crush Card Virus destroys it all the same!" Sheppard cried. However, even as he spoke, it was clear that the virus was having no effect whatsoever on Zane's new dragon. Indeed, it easily repelled the sickness from its body. "How?"

"When I have a machine fusion monster in my graveyard, Cyber Eternity Dragon can't be targeted or destroyed by any card effects, including your Crush Card Virus. That's why I needed to summon Chimeratech earlier." Zane explained coolly.

"You…you fusion summoned as bait?!" Sheppard slowly realized.

Zane smirked. "I'm afraid so. It's rather refreshing to know firsthand that my Cyber Dragons can prosper in this new world. You should be glad. The legacy of the Cyber Dojo will reach new heights once I return to the pro leagues!"

"You haven't beaten me yet, Truesdale! Even if you attack my Cyberdark Edge, I'll still have enough life points to survive until next turn. And then, my five-headed dragon will end this duel!" Sheppard protested.

"I'll grant you this, you are as skilled as I remember, sensei. It makes your cowardice during the battle with the Shadow Riders all the more shameful. I've seen all I need to, and it's time to finish this. You ought to know that machine decks have a certain card that helps them close out games such as these… _sensei_." Zane smoothly flipped over the last card in his hand.

Sheppard's eyes widened. "Limiter Removal…."

Cyber Eternity Dragon let out a fearsome roar as its attack points doubled to 5600, its aura sending out shockwaves throughout the temple. "I will not throw away my honor. No matter what you say, I will always try to do the right thing. But I need strength to do that, and I need to fight as befits my nature. That is all."

Turning his back on Sheppard, Zane wordlessly commanded his dragon to attack. Letting loose a volley of deep blue energy blasts, Cyber Eternity Dragon annihilated the Cyberdark Edge and brought the battle to a close. **(Zane 2200/Sheppard 0)**

Sheppard dropped to his knees in defeat, his head bowed before his former student. He was speechless, his lips working silently as he tried to rationalize what just happened. Zane walked over and took the Cyberdark deck from his fallen opponent's duel disk, placing the cards in his backpack.

"As we agreed." He said coldly. "I still will use my Cyber Dragons primarily, but these may be of some use."

Sheppard was still silent, staring at the floor.

Zane scratched his head. "Hey, uh, this might be kinda awkward, but do you have any food around here? I have to climb down before night falls. Gets kinda cold, you know what I'm saying?"

Sheppard still said nothing, and did not look at him. "Ok, well I'm just gonna look around if that's cool with you. Thanks!" Zane waved ungainly before stalking off in search of the kitchens like a scampering hound.

XxxxxxXXXxXXXXX

(Aster Phoenix POV)

It pleased him to stand in silence here.

The church was empty and dark, a shell that housed lofty trappings of stained glass and organ pipes. It was an appropriate place to ruminate on birth and death, marriage and other matters given cosmic importance.

 _"This game being one such matter."_ Aster thought of his new cards, once a child's playthings, now the forty-odd blades with which he would mete vengeance on those who would wrong him. The Destiny Heroes had become stronger from the wave, while Jaden Yuki's Elemental Heroes stood vanquished, their own shells now nothing but weak, thin cardboard, useful only for kindling. It was as plain a sign as any that his faith in the Light had been rewarded, and that punishing Jaden for his idolatrous imitations was in the right.

Then why did it feel so wrong? Was it because of the fact that the wave had manifested beyond his control? Aster had no willing part in bringing about this chaotic new era of Synchros and Exceeds. He was as much a witness as anyone else, not an actor despite his close relationship with the true God. He did not truly want Jaden's cards to be destroyed – the battle was born out of a need to assuage his own sinful pride, no matter how much he cloaked it in lofty words.

"It was a nobly fought battle, Aster." Sartorius' voice broke through the silence, striking to the heart of the matter as always. He walked down the center aisle, meeting him here as they agreed. "You have done a good work. That boy's soul was stained darker than even my gaze could perceive."

Did Sartorius know that Aster did not intend for that result to occur? Did Sartorius plan for this without Aster's knowledge or consent? The thought was troubling to the silver-haired boy. Sartorius was his best friend of many years, and they discussed everything – or so he thought. Now, he wasn't sure how much Sartorius truly shared with him. He found himself in question.

"It is done indeed. Of greater concern to me is work. The pro leagues have all gone on hiatus while Industrial Illusions registers the new card pool in their database. All official tournaments are cancelled until the new banlist drops." Aster spoke coldly. That would take a long time, and some cards still probably wouldn't be banned until they saw tournament play, their exploitations not obvious to the card designers. "My main source of income has dried up."

"Money is only a necessary evil, and we have plenty of it saved up. We are blessed, for the Light nourishes our souls now more than ever." Sartorius smiled with palpable contentedness. Aster didn't feel any different than before, and something about the words rang hollow.

"But we can not rest. Not until the evil is driven from this realm. I believe two other souls at Central Academy are similarly stained black. Jamie Lancaster and Reggie Mackenzie." Sartorius was not shy about naming the sinners.

Their faces appeared vaguely in Aster's mind. Lancaster was the current top-ranking duelist in Obelisk Blue, though he was not as popular as his predecessor, Zane Truesdale. He was said to be a rival to the Kaiser, so Aster did not anticipate he would present too much of an obstacle. Then again, he did not think Jaden Yuki would be much of a challenge either, and the boy pushed him to his limits, far beyond what Truesdale was capable of. The most dangerous part of crossing Jamie's path was the risk of stoking Seto Kaiba's rage – the Lion was a useful servant of the Dragon.

Reggie Mackenzie was the greater mystery. A transfer student from Duel Academy America, she kept her public persona very low-key, always the cold, polite beauty. Her brother was a high-ranking duelist himself, but she was well-known to be his better – her handy defeat of Chazz Princeton at the beginning of the summer made her an appealing prospect to many pro scouts. He disliked how so many boys his age called her an "angel". The sinners, overcome by their vulgar thirsts, likened her wrongly to the blessed children of the light.

"Are they to be vanquished? If so, why couldn't I pursue them after my battle with the false hero?" Aster questioned. These plane trips back and forth were irritating him.

"It was important for you to grow familiar with your new cards first. I would not have wanted you to rush into a situation without knowing the full scope of your powers." Sartorius waved his hand.

Oh, that made a lot of sense. Sartorius was always right about these things. He shouldn't doubt Sartorius. Sartorius is always right. _"Wait, why does my head feel so weird?"_ Blinking rapidly, Aster shook his head to ward off the odd numbness that was creeping through his brain.

"Oh? Are you feeling alright, Aster? Shall I get some water?" Sartorius asked with friendly concern.

"That's alright. I think I need to get some better sleep." Aster frowned, now feeling normal. Sartorius nodded sagely.

"That is important. By all means, rest up. Next week, we shall depart for Central Academy to begin the mass conversion of these pathetic chattel." Sartorius said with a calm smile.

"What did you say?" Aster didn't catch that last part.

"I said next week, we'll depart for Central Academy to spread the good word of the Lord."

"Oh, that sounds good. Sorry, must be an echo in here." Aster couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right here, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"You're probably just tired. Sleep well tonight, my friend."

XxXxXxXxXxxxXxXxX

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

"How may I help you, Jasmine?"

I calmly greeted the redhead in the main atrium of Obelisk Blue, the wing that separated the boys and girls dorms. In the center of the room was a fountain, a statue depicting the might blue titan that served as our namesake while water fell from its wings. In the evening, sunlight poured in through the high windows, and there were tables and chairs on either side of the room for studying. This was the same room I had defeated my esteemed former boss Harry and his sidekick. What was her name again….Seika, that's it. Apparently the display was insufficient to ward off the vultures.

Perhaps a sharp reminder is necessary.

Jasmine was surrounded by a gaggle of snickering students. There were a hundred boys and the same number of girls in Obelisk Blue, but during the battles to determine rank I remembered faces and names. All of these duelists present were in the lower half of the Obelisk Force, with the exception of Jasmine and I. Around fifty comprised our audience.

"The great lion emerges from his den!" Jasmine greeted in mocking joviality, her duel disk equipped. I worked my jaw and formed a sharp smile. "I haven't seen your face in almost a week."

"My apologies. I've been feeling a bit ill lately." I spoke the lie baldly. "Classwork has been a bit crazy as well, what with all these new cards."

"Indeed. All of these new cards are really shaking things up. Things just aren't the way they used to be." No one could accuse Jasmine of subtlety, that's for sure.

"You seem to have acquitted yourself rather well. I've seen your dueling as of late, and it's quite impressive. You have my congratulations." I inclined my head stiffly.

"Your congratulations." Jasmine repeated before letting out a sighing laugh. "So arrogant. You really do think you're the next Seto Kaiba, don't you?"

The smile widened as my eyes smoldered with rage. "Is that really what you think? You know, Jasmine, I'm starting to get the impression that you don't like me very much. Why would I get that impression?"

The crowd snickered like hyenas. They smelled blood in the air, and it excited them. I knew that they would never stop poking and prodding at me, not until I was toppled, and my place was taken. Then, they would poke and prod at that person, and on and on the cycle would continue…was it right to create the Obelisk Force?

"Because you duel like an honorless cur, hiding behind trap cards and cheap shit like Marshmallon…because you have no love for your cards, even using that rare Black Luster Soldier without reverence. Because you're an entitled prick who thinks he can tell us what to do just because you wiped Kaiba's ass all summer. Zane is a better man and duelist than you." Jasmine spat, the venom clearly fermenting for a long time.

"Oh, oh." I feigned not caring, but it did really hurt to hear how much she despised me. "Is that all? If it is, I have to head out. Mister Kaiba's ass usually needs wiping around this time of day. He gets cranky if he has to do it himself, you know."

Jasmine snarled and activated her duel disk. "I think your shitty jokes are the worst part, actually. But it's a new era now, and I haven't seen you duel in public since that little flirting with Mackenzie. Some are starting to wonder if you're really still the top dog, or should I say lion, in Obelisk Blue. Maybe Alexis is the one who should be in your place."

I was actually starting to get pissed now. Not because of Jasmine, but because of the foolish pride of these fucking ingrates that made up my house. There were cosmic forces, demons, and all manner of eldritch monstrosities at our doorstep and all these shit-for-brains teenagers can think of is who's hot and who's not.

"Alexis might not want the spotlight, but I guess we shouldn't put the cart before the horse." I activated my own duel disk. I had created another anti-meta build in case something like this happened. Time to see if it was worth it. Sadly, I copped some Thunder King Rai-Oh's right as they went up in price.

"You know, I rather enjoy settling things by force."

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **The chapter took a little longer than I thought due to my dog, a cairn terrier Rosie, passing away this past week. She was going on fifteen years old, a very long life for a dog. She passed peacefully, and lived a long and happy life. We adopted her from a shelter back in 2005, a great decision. Not trying to make excuses or fish for sympathy at all, but it was an interruption I felt was relevant for you all to know about.**

 **I realize the Zane/Sheppard duel was similar to canon, but I felt it would be a good way to show off some of the newer cards and of course it is a pivotal part of Zane's arc as well. He is not going down the exact same path as canon – you'll notice he has not taken the name "Hell Kaiser" yet – but as a character I believe he has always secretly craved power and the feeling of crushing his enemies. That would not change because of Jamie's presence. Losing to Aster and the underground duels that followed in canon allowed Zane to utilize a part of himself that he had repressed. In short, I do not believe Zane ever "became evil" in canon, rather I think that he lost the internal battle between honorable, but ultimately empty principles and his truer, bestial nature that thrills from bullying and dominating others. In this story, Zane has not lost that battle yet, although his darker, real self is winning at the moment. It calls an old question into the fold. Is it better to be naturally good, or to overcome one's evil nature through great effort? I believe this is communicated better in the sub version of GX, btw. The dub is good for humor and memes, but the true essence of the show is in the sub, so I definitely endorse it.**

 **Meanwhile, we have Jamie and Jasmine's conflict, which is essentially an amoral power struggle more than anything. Jasmine is very petulant and dislikes the perception that Jamie looks down on her, and now that her dueling has improved with the help of Bastion she wants to humble him. Meanwhile, Jamie doesn't really care about Jasmine that much, but he has no love for her either. Perhaps he could have been nicer to her in the past, but he's not a saint by any means and now the milk is well and truly spilt. I wonder if this will bite him in the ass in a big way? Who knows?**

 **If you know who Jaden's weird dream mentor is, you know that Jaden is going to be putting in work once he gets back from training. You could say that he's going to lay down the law. But that's later on.**

 **Many thanks to the great Jack Wayne for drawing the new cover image for the story! I really appreciate it man. He also has drawn great cover stories for RWBY fics like Captain Dragon by Coeur Al'Aran, Relic of the Future by Coeur Al'Aran, and What Embers Remain by A Stereotypical Gamer, so I'm sure many of you have familiarity with his work. Jack is also writing a very interesting and underrated Yugioh story by the name of Under The Milky Way. If you're looking for some good Yugioh fiction, by all means check his story out.**

 **Anyways, thanks for your continued readership and have a blessed day.**


	45. A Familiar Song

Chapter 45: A Familiar Song

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

She insisted that we shuffle each others' cards before beginning. This was indeed consistent with tournament regulations (that or an official would shuffle them) but it was a custom usually unobserved in casual play.

Of course, this was not casual play. Jasmine was not here for a casual match between friends – indeed, her monologue there (the part about my wiping Kaiba's ass all summer was a clever touch) made it clear that she hated me and wanted to see me toppled from the ranks of Obelisk Blue.

 _"Man, what did I do wrong?"_ I thought. Surely this was avoidable, somehow. I know that I had made some snide remarks to Jasmine on occasion, but I did that to everyone, and usually they returned the favor twice as hard. I guess I underestimated how much my words might have hurt her. Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.

"But she's never liked me, that's the weird part." Maybe it was because I was taking up more of Alexis' time. Jasmine was smarter than many often gave her credit – maybe she suspected Alexis and I were in a relationship. Or maybe it was as simple as just wanting power. It could be that my little speech to the Obelisks inspired disgust, rather than a sense of improvement from her.

 _"'Course, I'm pretty good at pissing women off without even trying sometimes…"_ I thought back to my first girlfriend in my old life, the recollection sending a chill through my veins. But more than that, it made me realize that I really don't know Jasmine all that well. She was the most minor of minor characters from an anime I had watched once over a decade ago. The series itself certainly didn't go out of its way to develop her character. And since she avoided me so often in this life, I never got to know her like the others either. Even then, I never suspected she was capable of this.

 _"I guess it wouldn't make sense for me to be surprised that still waters run deep."_ I thought with a wry chuckle. How could I be so amazed at Jasmine's deception when I myself was an untrusting, secretive creature on the inside?

"No more talk, Lancaster. I've wanted to humble you for a long time, and I'll waste no more time with words." Jasmine snarled.

"As you wish. I do not wish to waste time either." We crossed over to decide the first turn, Jasmine choosing paper to cover my rock. "So if it's alright with you, let's just skip the warmup. I have other things I want to do today." I said, forming my features into a cold mask. The lower ranks of Obelisk Blue made a ring around us, salivating to see who would become the new alpha of the pack. Defeating me would bring Jasmine great respect and adoration within the force.

"Fine by me. Let's see the results of your new deck, Lancaster!" Jasmine drew. "I'll start by activating the continuous spell **Shien's Dojo**." Behind Jasmine rose a rusty orange pagoda, lanterns shining within.

"Next, I play the continuous spell **Six Samurai United**!" On the top of the dojo, the distinctive insignia of the six samurai lit up in a sky blue glow.

"Then, I'll normal summon **Legendary Six Samurai – Enishi (1700/700)**!" At Jasmine's side appeared a warrior clad in elegant forest green armor, wielding an enormous, superheated orange sword that was taller than the man itself.

"This places a Bushido Counter on both of my continuous spells. And when I have enough counters on the spells, I gain access to certain effects. Shien's Dojo has one such effect. I can send it to the graveyard at any time, and depending how many counters I have on it, I can special summon a Six Samurai monster with the same number of level stars from my deck. Since I have one counter on it, I can special summon the level one **Secret Six Samurai – Fuma (200/1800)** from my deck!"

From the dojo's sliding doors emerged a lithe, slim figure clad in flamboyant neon pink and indigo robes. In its hands were, and I shit you not, glowing pink shuriken the size of dinner plates. Regardless of the circumstances, it was always fun to see what sort of crazy stuff could happen in this game.

Jasmine gestured to her new monster. "Fuma is a tuner monster. If a tuner monster and a non-tuner monster on the field, I can use them as materials for a Synchro summon."

The crowd began muttering. Synchro summoning had proved to be more difficult to master than Exceeds for most of the student body. "If I have a tuner and a non-tuner monster on the field, I can potentially synchro summon a monster from the extra deck by sending the materials to the graveyard. It all depends on the level stars. I can only synchro summon a monster that has the same level as my combined materials. Since Enishi has four stars and Fuma has one, I can synchro summon a level five monster!"

As she explained, Jasmine's two monsters rose into the air, dissolving into light particles. Fuma's body transformed into a bizarre neon green ring, hanging suspended in the air. Meanwhile, Enishi had taken on the form of four shining points, most likely meant to represent the level stars. The four stars lined up vertically, passing through the ring. In a flush of energy, a white pillar heralded the arrival of the synchro monster.

"Crimson armor to obscure the blood of the slain! Sword of the moon's silver, I beg of you to sully your blade upon this foe! Most honored blade of the legendary six, take your command and lead my forces to victory! Synchro Summon **, Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En (2500/1400)**!"

Resplendent in full crimson plate with an impossibly sharp katana, Shien made for a fearsome sight, a white cape flowing behind him, a field of snow soon to be bloodied. He still had the impressive helm of the great Shogun Shien, only more prominent and practically glowing with some bizarre energy.

"I am impressed. You have learned your deck's new mechanics rather quickly. Many are still having trouble with the concept of Synchros and Exceeds." I granted her. Inwardly, I was confused as to why she seemingly felt no pain upon summoning the monster. I was struggling to breathe after Exceed summoning against Kagemaru. Was something different with Synchros, or was it because Jasmine was a native duelist of this world? I couldn't be sure.

"People dislike change and learning new things. I am lucky that I have had Bastion's help, or else perhaps I too would have wallowed in my old ways. Perhaps I would never have become a serious duelist at all." Jasmine admitted. I wondered where Bastion was at this moment. Surely he must have figured that Jasmine and I would face off eventually. I had no doubt he would support her over me – men are fools when it comes to their first girlfriends. I would know…

"Indeed, it's no coincidence that those who face life with curiosity and wonder tend to prosper." I spoke the words absentmindedly, thinking back to that day on the beach when Bastion found Adam and I after a hard day's work. I remembered giving Bastion advice on asking out Jasmine. That led to Bastion helping Jasmine improve her dueling, which then lead to this little debacle.

" _Wowzers, the arrogant Jamie Lancaster hoist by his own petard! What amazingly plotted dramatic irony! NOT!"_ I thought wryly, amusing myself.

"What's so funny, Lancaster? Always smiling." Jasmine sniped.

"I was just thinking, and you might want to sit down for this, about how I gave Bastion advice when he was nervous about asking you out last year. If you never met him, you may not have become as strong. So, really you should be thanking me for your improvement in a way." My smile broke into full-on laughter.

"I suppose it is rather poetic that you sowed the seeds of your own downfall. I'll set a card and end my turn." Jasmine was more well-spoken than I remembered.

"I draw." I would have liked to play the Divas, truly I would have. I was too scared to face the Six Samurai without a hard counter. I played those damn cards back when they were Tier 1 meta alongside Infernity in my old life, wasn't it 2011? Anyways, if I play the game Jasmine's way and try to go blow for blow, she would win.

So I'm not doing it her way. "I set a monster and three face-down cards before ending my turn."

Jasmine squinted suspiciously before drawing. "Since I have two counters on my Six Samurai United, I can send it to the graveyard to draw two cards from my deck. Now, I'll play the continuous spell **Gateway of the Six**!"

Oh, shit! That card was banned for years in the real game. It gave the deck insane searching power, as well as the ability to revive Shien over and over. It would probably be banned soon in this world as well once Industrial Illusions figured out how useful it was. The blue runic insignia of the samurai lit up the floor, casting waves of azure light over the atrium.

"Next, since I have a Six Samurai on the field, I can special summon **Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan (1800/600)** to the field at no cost." The next warrior was clad in dark blue armor and wielded a glowing lightsaber pike that I had to admit was pretty sick.

"Every time I summon a Six Samurai, I get two counters on my gateway. So I'll get two more by special summoning **Grandmaster of the Six Samurai (2100/800)**! Like Kizan, he can be special summoned for free if I have another Six Samurai on the field." The third warrior on Jasmine's field was a grizzled old man with long white hair and beard. He wielded a simple, scratched up _chokuto_ that had seen countless battles.

"And since I have four counters on my gateway, I can activate one of its effects. By removing the counters, I can add a Six Samurai from my deck to my hand." She searched a copy of Kagemusha of the Six Samurai, a level two tuner. She was planning on Synchro summoning either this turn or the next.

"They should rename the archetype. It seems like there's way more than six of these guys."

Jasmine ignored my lame joke. To her credit, she did not overextend her resources. "I'll now attack with Shien!" I couldn't activate any of my face-downs yet – Shien's effect let it negate a spell or trap activation once per turn. Luckily, she had nothing to negate monster effects…

Shien's steel bit into my face-down monster, which was revealed to be **Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo (1200/1300)** , a hard-headed dinosaur skeleton with a deadly useful effect. The onlookers collectively sucked in a sharp breath.

"Hehe, Bastion ever shown you this card?" Judging from her frustrated expression, I'd say she knew what it did. "When this is flipped up, all specially summoned monsters on the field are destroyed."

Jasmine thought fast. "That may be, but by destroying another Six Samurai, I can protect Shien from destruction once per turn!" In order to defend her boss monster, she sacrificed Kizan while Grandmaster was then destroyed by Fossil Dyna's effect, leaving only Shien on the field.

"I end my turn." Jasmine said sharply, frustration showing through now that she knew I was playing anti-meta.

Once Shien was off the field, I should be good. Until then, I'll need to play through at least one negation, along with whatever her face-down is. Shien can negate a spell or trap activation for free. As for the face-down, maybe it's that trap that bounces two cards back to the hand…what was it called again?

Anyways, first I would need to try baiting out Shien's effect. Actually, never mind, I have something else that will work. "I'll activate the effect of **Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju (2200/3000)** in my hand!"

"What does that do?" Jasmine wondered, not familiar with the card. Adding to her confusion, Shien began to slowly disappear from her side of the field, eventually going to the graveyard.

In its place emerged an enormous blue sea monster, its floppy limbs flailing in rage. The beast's back was covered by a hard black turtle shell, but its face resembled a dragon's more than anything.

"What?! No way, how!" Jasmine exclaimed.

"Gameciel here is one of many Kaiju monsters. I can summon them to your field by tributing one of your monsters. They're like Lava Golem, only more useful since I don't need to offer up two. Besides, Gameciel here only has 2200 attack points, so it's easier to beat over." I explained. Furthermore, none of her Six Samurai cards would have any synergy with the Kaiju since it wasn't part of the archetype, which made me more comfortable about facing her unknown trap.

The crowd was not pleased with this development, and they began whispering amongst themselves more than they were before. Jasmine said nothing, continuing to look over her hand.

"Now, I'll activate my trap card, **Compulsory Evacuation Device** , letting me bounce a monster on the field back to the hand." Since Gameciel was the only monster on the field, the target of the trap was obvious. The Kaiju returned to my hand for a later use, and now her field was clear for attack.

"For my normal summon, I play **King Tiger Wanghu (1700/1000)**!" Despite my nickname, the cat on my field was a white tiger, not a lion. The beast was covered in silvery metallic plate on its back, and it had two long tusks protruding from its maw.

"Ohohoho, it's funny because wang means penis." One of the onlookers cleverly observed.

"That joke wasn't funny the first time, Dave."

"King Tiger Wanghu…shrewd." Jasmine noted. The Jasmine of a year ago wouldn't have known what this card did, but she seemed to now.

"That's right. As long as this monster is on the field, no monsters with 1400 or less attack points can be summoned." This would prevent her from summoning her tuners, since they were all low in battle power. The trick is that I can't summon any of my weaker monsters either.

"Now, I attack directly!" The tiger made a pass at Jasmine, delivering a punishing blow. I suppose one could say that Jasmine got an up-close and personal view of my wang…hu. **(Jamie 4000/Jasmine 2300)**

"I end my turn." With two more face-downs and my tiger's effect, my field was decent.

However, Jasmine did not look worried. "Draw. I activate **Reinforcment of the Army** to add a Warrior from deck to hand. Then, I'll summon **Legendary Six Samurai – Mizuho (1600/1000)**!" Jasmine's next warrior wore similar crimson armor to Shien, raven black hair flowing from her helm.

Hmm…. does she have some way of bypassing backrow?

"Mizuho attacks!" Brandishing two smaller blades, the female samurai rushed at my tiger.

"I activate my trap **, Mirror Force**!" I hate to waste it on one monster, but my other trap wasn't for battle. A translucent wall of energy rose from the ground, ready to destroy her monster.

"Activate counter trap, **Musakani Magatama**! This negates any effect that destroys a Six Samurai monster!" A golden bangle emerged from the card's hologram, flying towards the oncoming Samurai. Mizuho grabbed the medallion and fastened it around her neck, allowing her to break through the wall and cleave apart my tiger.

"Damn it!" I cursed under by breath. So much for keeping the tuners under control. **(Jamie 3800/Jasmine 2300)**

 **"** I set a card and end there." Jasmine straightened, giving me a sidelong glance. "I'm not gonna let your tricks stand in my way, Lancaster. I'm gonna be a great duelist, no matter what you say!"

"Good, that's exactly what I want!" I replied, frustrated. "That's why I made the Obelisk Force, to help you guys get better. And look how much it's done for you already! You're putting up a great fight! I'm trying to help you!"

"You think too highly of your skills – we do not need your patronizing lessons to be great. That's all." Jasmine said coldly, and I was surprised again at the depth of the resentment there. It struck me speechless, wondering where I had gone wrong.

I suppose in life you can't please everyone, no matter how hard you try. It's a hard thing to accept. I know I'm flawed, but I'm just doing the best I can. _"She doesn't see it that way. It's funny how people with good intentions tend to cause the most pain, whereas those who pursue their own ambitions and leave others alone don't. I caused these new cards to rain down. I should just worry about myself. Isn't that the lesson you taught me, in my old life? You remind me of someone I used to know, Jasmine…"_ Jasmine's face blurred, becoming her face.

Sometimes I wish I could go back, just for one day… I would know what to say to her now.

"What are you doing? Take your turn!" Jasmine barked. I quickly snapped off my next card. Still so weak.

"I summon **Thunder King Rai-Oh (1900/800)**." My next monster was an eerily still thing, a semi-humanoid semiconductor with twin rings orbiting its frame. "With this on the field, neither of us can add cards from our deck to our hand, except by drawing them."

"Now, I'll attack your Mizuho!" The two rings coursed with electricity, charging blasts for a moment before firing them off, the two bolts converging on their path to form a single beam.

"I activate my trap card, **Six Style: Dual Wield**! Since I only have one Six Samurai on the field in attack mode, I can bounce two of your cards back to your hand! I choose your Thunder King and one of your face-downs!" Resplendent in her crimson armor, Jasmine's lithe warrior now held two glowing katanas in her hands. With a swipe, she sent two waves of green energy hurtling towards me.

No choice. "I activate my face-down, **Solemn Judgment**! I pay half of my life points to negate your trap!" Although it was a costly move, I needed to establish a chokehold on the board so I could lock her down. The waves dissipated, crumbling away while my attack stayed its course unimpeded. It landed successfully, zapping away her samurai. **(Jamie 1900/Jasmine 2000)**

"I'll end with a set card." I said, releasing a breath I didn't realize I was holding in. Solemn Judgment was always costly, but in a format with only 4000 life points, it was way better than risking Warning or Strike. I wonder if Pegasus or whoever organizes the official rules will change it to 8000 soon.

Jasmine didn't look happy than Thunder King was still on the field, and her next draw didn't seem too helpful. She couldn't search for anything with Gateway, so she needed to hard draw something that could be normal summoned. Six Samurais were fierce aggressors, but without hand advantage they had a hard time making comebacks.

"This has to work…I normal summon **Kagemusha of the Six Samurai (400/1800)**." This Samurai was slight of build, wielding a glowing futuristic lance and verdant green armor. This let her add two more counters to Gateway, though it didn't matter as long as Thunder King was out.

"Then, I'll play the quick-play spell **Asceticism of the Six Samurai**! If I have a Six Samurai on the field, I can summon another Six Samurai from my deck with the same attack point value but a different name. I choose **Elder of the Six Samurai (400/0)**!" The shrouded sage of the Six Samurai, carried in a litter by faithful servants, took the field.

"Now, I'll tune the level three Elder with the level two Kagemusha for a level five Synchro summon! Protector of borders, noble sentry that balances ice and fire, shadow of the northern lights, I summon you! Come forth, **Armades, Keeper of Boundaries (2300/1500)**!"

The onlookers cheered, and Jasmine's second Synchro monster of the duel came forth.

…. or at least, it would have come forth, but even though Jasmine sent a tuner and a non-tuner to the graveyard, nothing had shown up on her field, nothing at all except for a sudden burst of static. "What on earth? What's happening?"

"I chain Thunder King Rai-Oh's second effect – by sending him to the graveyard, I can negate a special summon of any kind – from the graveyard, from the deck, from the banished zone, even from the extra deck. So, I'm afraid the epic summoning chant was for nothing. Sorry about that." That really seemed to have taken the wind out of her sails, as well as her collaborators.

"That's all I got...your turn, Lancaster." Jasmine, despite her pouty tone, didn't seem to give up yet. Considering I ran a low number of monsters in this deck, it made sense that I probably wouldn't draw one that could close out the game. I did have one though, and my luck saved me from a matchup I probably would have lost most of the time.

"I summon **Inspector Boarder (2000/2000)**!" A robotic police officer (a Robocop if you will) riding a futuristic hover board took the field, sirens blaring from the sides of the vehicle. I'm pretty sure I heard Dr. Dre blasting from the speaker on the board, but I couldn't say for certain. This card was particularly useful for negating monster effects, but right now I needed it for its attack power. Jasmine's field was clear, and I'm pretty sure I was in the clear as well.

"I attack directly!" For once, my assumption that things were well in hand paid off! The attack went through, and the game was ended. I had a feeling this wasn't over though. **(Jamie 1900/Jasmine 0)**

The victory was sour, but defeat would have tasted worse.

Jasmine staggered back, briefly dropping to one knee as her duel disk shut off. She rose quickly, a weary look on her face. That was odd – I expected more frustration, but for the time being she just looked tired. The crowd let out varying cries of disappointment. I turned off my duel disk, suddenly feeling tired as well.

"Hey," I called out to her. "That was a good fight. I mean it."

It was too close for comfort, actually. The Samurais were on the verge of overwhelming me even with an anti-meta deck I made specifically to counter opposition reliant on monster effects and special summoning. Of course, there wasn't really much of a meta in this world since most people seemed to play decks that "matched their personality", I guess.

"I wasn't prepared for you to switch up your strategy. Usually you don't go full lockdown like that. Were those the new cards you got from the blast?" Jasmine asked, an odd tone to her voice.

"It's like what we were talking about before. Those who are willing to adapt prosper. If I remained mired in my old strategies, I would have lost." I replied without actually answering her question at all. I actually didn't get diddly from that bizarre wave, which was fine since I still had my Melodious Divas. I wasn't sure they would do so well against Six Samurai, so I decided to use this instead. Going forward, I would have no choice but to use them. Most of these cards I bought from Adam, who was buying and selling cards whenever he wasn't eating or sleeping these days.

"I asked if those were from the blast." Jasmine probed.

"Perhaps I'll tell you if you promise to never rise up against me again. We need to be allies, not at each others throats." I clenched my fist and tried to keep my anger under control. It ran through my body like steam through pipes, hot and difficult to repress.

"Since you won't listen to Jamie, let me ask you a question, Jasmine." A confident voice sounded behind me. It was Erin Reid, third seat of the Obelisk Force. In the pale colors of the Obelisk Blue uniform, her tan skin stood out all the more. Her eyes, normally easy to read, were different, more mysterious now.

Jasmine was shocked by Erin's presence, her admiration of the water duelist well-known. The other Obelisks, while not paying homage per se, at least ceased prattling to hear her words.

"What are you doing here? This is between him and me." Jasmine protested.

"My question is this. What unforgivable offense has been done to you all to cause such hatred to fester towards Jamie?" Now she had the group's full attention, and mine as well.

"Jamie is not Zane, that much is obvious, and the difference lies in dirtied hands. Zane had no obligation to help any of us improve as duelists, and why would he? For his first two years on the island, he was completely unchallenged. Even I had no chance of defeating him. He soared higher and higher, and never looked down at any of us. I cannot blame him."

"Jamie is now in the same position as Zane, and he instead chooses to lift you up. He said as much, and he has delivered. We have everyone in Obelisk Blue coming to meetings. Indeed, Jamie has never failed any of you by word or act." Erin's eyes were hardened.

She pointed to a taciturn, yet scheming boy in the group, with lank blue hair and dark brown eyes. "Zachary Akiyama, what great evil has Jamie Lancaster done to you that you would regard him as a villain?"

"Is it for defeating you during his initiation to Obelisk Blue, Madison Takamura?" Erin spoke to a petite girl with close-cropped silver hair. "For holding one of the seven spirit gate keys and risking his life for this island, you would disdain his offered helping hand?"

"What horrible injury has he inflicted upon any of you? Name it, name it right now before Obelisk, Slifer, and Ra. Lift the fog from our eyes so that we may see this scum for his true colors." She finished.

The hall was silent with shame, and in my case admiration. Ironically, if Erin actually knew the whole truth about me, I doubt she would ever speak in my defense like this. For the moment though, I was nearly overcome by a swell of emotion. Friendship and loyalty are sweet things indeed.

"That's what I thought. I will take the liberty of calling you all what you are – cowards who lack the courage to admit your shortcomings. You have been told your whole life that you are elites, superior, bound for greatness, only for the buoyed words of your parents to crash upon the rocks of reality." Erin's words cut like a sword, and they weren't even directed at me. "If I am lying, then fight me now. I'll let you have the first turn."

I decided to speak up, ascending the stairs so Erin and I were on the same level. "Jasmine, please, I want no more hostility between us. We'll speak no more of this whole affair, and you can resume your place as fifth seat. The astral blast brings with it new cards and new foes. We need to be united if we're going to survive. That's what I've been saying this whole time." Perhaps I would have been harsher if this was a time of peace, but with so many enemies in the shadows, holding this kind of petty grudge was an encumbrance I could not afford.

Slowly, the rebellious Obelisks bowed their heads, the wind taken out of their sails by Erin's speech. Contrite, they offered apologies and agreed to forget everything. Inwardly, I made note of their faces and names. Perhaps Jaden could forgive and forget, but I usually could only manage the former, if that.

Jasmine looked around at her fair-weather compatriots before stiffly inclining her head. "As you say, Jamie. I accept your terms and apologize for my actions."

Her eyes brimmed with resentment still.

XxXxxXxxxXxxXxxxXxxx

A few days later, I sat in on our network's weekly meeting. Headmaster Crowler was on the call this time, so I sat with him in his office. It was six in the morning our time, the sun beginning to turn the sky from blue to pink to blue again. Meeting times were frequently changed to accommodate how busy everyone was, with the added bonus of keeping potential spies off the trail, so to speak.

Crowler, a late riser by nature, hadn't had time to put on his makeup yet. It was rather strange to see him without a shade of lipstick or blush on – he didn't even have his hair in a ponytail, his womanly blonde locks unruly and matted from sleep. I was rather startled upon seeing him, but I adjusted quickly.

"Your coffee, headmaster." I handed him a disposable paper cup before taking a drink of my own brew. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Crowler absolutely loaded his coffee with sugar and cream.

"Thank you, Signore Jamie. How are your classes faring?" He asked. In truth, my studies had flagged somewhat, my time spreading thin between my reports to Kaiba, the Obelisk Force, and tracking the prices of the new cards – the market was on fire.

Skype booted up, and I saw the face of Kaiba, and Yugi. Pegasus, Jesse and the Ishtar siblings were absent this time, cluing me in that this discussion would primarily revolve around Central Academy.

"Good morning, everyone." Yugi greeted kindly. "Doctor Crowler, congratulations on your promotion. Last time I saw you, you were getting ready for your dissertation."

"A most stressful time, but I believe the work paid off. Thank you, mister Moto." Crowler returned the courtesy smoothly – it appeared he and Yugi had met before. I wonder what a Yugioh-themed dissertation would even look like.

"Enough." Kaiba cut him off. "I don't have much time this morning before I meet with the shareholders, so we'll have to make this quick."

"Kaiba and I have an idea regarding the recent threats to Central Academy." Yugi said, nodding to Kaiba for him to explain.

"A field trip to Domino City." Kaiba proposed. "It appears many dark forces are circling around the island, waiting for some grand opportunity to present itself. This will serve as suitable bait to draw the foes out of hiding. The island is hard to get to, and I have begun monitoring the comings and goings more closely. In the city, our enemies will able to move undetected, or so they think. In reality, my people will be stationed strategically all over the map."

"Using the students as bait…" Crowler looked somewhat uncomfortable with the idea, as if he wasn't the same guy who put a hit out on Jaden in first year. Still, there was something commendable about his concern.

"Jaden Yuki is being hunted by Aster Phoenix, or perhaps more truthfully his agent, Sartorius. We know that they're connected somehow with the advent of these new Synchros and Exceeds. If they think they wish to fuck with my assets, they can try it in Domino City, where I will be around the destroy them if needs be." Kaiba clearly relished the prospect.

"Has anyone seen Jaden lately? I heard his Elemental Hero cards were destroyed by the astral energy from the blast." Yugi expressed worry for the boy he once gifted Winged Kuriboh to.

"He left a note with Syrus Truesdale, his former roommate, saying that he would be "walking the dark lands" for a while. I think it's just another excuse to ditch class." Crowler groused.

"Jaden was probably affected by the blast differently because of his dark powers. I saw them firsthand during our battle against Kagemaru." Hearing Yubel's voice from Jaden's mouth and those damn eyes still disturbed my sleep. "I suspect he is in the Spirit Realm, obtaining some new cards of his own." I chimed in.

"Walking the dark lands." Kaiba repeated drolly. "Did he study at the same drama school as you, Yugi?"

Yugi rolled his eyes, but otherwise did not engage in the banter. "Hopefully he comes back soon. We plan for the trip to be next weekend. We need Aster and Sartorius to believe that Jaden is not only back, but still playing Hero monsters. Aster is very prickly about that particular subject – with any luck, he will act rashly and rush out to face Jaden once more." The king of games said with a calculating demeanor.

"Only it's not going to be Jaden he's going to be fighting." Kaiba added with a smirk. "Lancaster, I'm going to keep a close eye on Aster's position if any of my people catch sight of him in the city. From there, you will intercept him and bring him to heel. I don't care about the Light of Desruction or any of that nonsense. Those two, along with the rest of these dogs, must be shown that my power is absolute."

"More importantly," Yugi briefly overpowered Kaiba's cock-stroking – it was rather like watching a man trying to tie a leash on an unruly dog. "this is about saving the world. I've heard of this Light of Destruction before. After high school, I had enough money from tournaments and publicity that I could afford to travel the world. In Argentina, I came across a group of cultists that also claimed to speak with the Light's voice."

Kaiba nodded, having heard this story before, while Crowler and I leaned forward with interest. I had never heard anything about this, and when the king speaks you listen, regardless.

"They recognized me despite my best efforts. They claimed that I wore a false crown, that I was a black mage using Egyptian sleight-of-hand tricks to win riches and fame at Duel Monsters. They sang songs about a great tide washing everything away, a truly clean world free of sinners." Yugi said casually, as if he were describing some day-to-day mishap. "The light did not repay their faith with strength, despite the loud prayers. Maybe they would have been good sport for the likes of Rex and Weevil, but sadly they overestimated their chances against me. Still, it is troubling to hear of the Light of Destruction once again." Yugi finished the tale, although frankly I was curious to hear more. What other crazy shit has Yugi been up to these past ten years?

"You should tell these two about the noodle incident some time." Kaiba suggested with an amused expression.

"You mean the one that got you a lifetime ban from Italy? I'd have to have a few drinks in me first, I think." Yugi said, and he and Kaiba shared a laugh, as if they were old friends. Which I guess they are, as odd as that is to think. "Can Mokuba still go there?"

"Technically yes, but it's highly frowned upon." Kaiba said sinisterly. "Anyways, I expect as many students to attend the field trip as possible. We'll need their parents to sign a waiver, so that will need to be done soon."

"I will prepare to fight Aster Phoenix, sir." I reopened that subject. I'm not going to lie; the idea was a bit scary. Aster had few weak points as a duelist, and with the Light of Destruction on his side, I knew that death was a fairly realistic possibility if I lost.

"I wouldn't ask if you couldn't handle it." Kaiba said. I was shocked to hear something like that from him.

"We need to anticipate other forces might attack. The duel spirits perhaps, or maybe this Reggie Mackenzie girl will finally make a move. Doctor, please make sure your strongest students are ready to fight." Yugi requested.

"I don't want them to duel, if they don't have to. They shouldn't have to." Crowler protested, albeit weakly.

Yugi nodded. "I don't want them to either. It would simply be prudent to have them ready, so that they may defend themselves if needs be. We want them to have a good time." He said to assuage the worrying headmaster.

"I intend on giving the students a free day pass to Kaiba Land. Believe me, their safety and enjoyment of the trip is paramount." Kaiba said.

"Wow, keep talking like that and people will think you've gone soft, Kaiba." I couldn't resist the joke.

"That doesn't mean you get to pussy out, Lancaster. You will serve Aster Phoenix a harsh punishment when the opportunity arises, and remind him what it means to go against my interests."

My veins burned with indignity, but I had no choice but to accept the order. I cracked my knuckles, the tops turning white. "I don't intend on backing out of anything. If I must, I will defeat Aster. But I don't want to…I don't think he's a bad guy, not really. Just a little misguided. Lord knows I've trusted the wrong people before.

"Many of my trusted comrades now were once my enemies." Yugi not-so-subtly jerked his thumb in Kaiba's direction. "I would be pleased if the matter could be settled peacefully."

"When your enemies defy you, you must serve them steel and fire. But when they go to their knees, however, they should be helped back to their feet. Otherwise, no one will ever bend the knee to you." My eyes got a far-away look to them for a moment.

"I agree completely. A wise sentiment." Yugi nodded.

"Is that from a book or something? Anyways, I'll leave the matter up to your discretion. If it works out that way. Depending on the circumstances, you might not get the chance. We may plan, but no plan survives contact with the enemy."

XxXXxxxXxXxxxXXxxx

(Seto Kaiba POV)

The discussion ended shortly thereafter. Kaiba stood from his desk and put on his customary white jacket. Turning his computer off, he made to grab his briefcase.

Yugi stared out the window, contemplative. "What was that boy's name again?"

"Oh, Lancaster? His first name is Jamie. Or maybe it's Jaime. I always forget."

"Ah. Odd little fellow. Can't really get a good read on him."

"I don't care about "getting a read on him" so long as he does what I ask of him, which so far is everything. Unlike most interns, he actually has some wits about him, albeit few. Him and Misawa might actually get full-time offers as long as they don't fuck up too badly." Kaiba responded glibly, not sure what Yugi was getting at.

"I'm glad to hear that. But what sort of duelist, what sort of person is he? He must be quite talented to have reached his position." Yugi pried.

"Why are you so curious?" Kaiba replied.

"I just felt a strange energy from him, that's all." The king said, wishing he could describe the feeling more clearly. Maybe if the puzzle, if Atem was still with him….

Kaiba snapped his briefcase shut. "Well, if you feel any more strange energies, whatever that means, let me know. Until then, I have to go."

"I'll speak to the others later. I know you don't like talking to Pegasus. Oh, and one more thing…"

Kaiba paused, his hand on the door.

"It's alright to be nice once in a while. Even basic human decency would be great. None of us will think you're weak or anything, you know."

Kaiba deliberated, shook his head, and left, coattails swishing down the hall.

XxXxxXxXxxxXxXXxxxxxX

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

I went back to my room and took a deep breath before sitting back on the bed.

"People can be tough to deal with, eh?" A familiar, musical voice echoed from the ceiling. A moment later, the bright colors filled my vision – glittering green, starry night blue, aquatic teal.

"Hey, there you are!" A wide smile broke across my face. "Sonata!"

The duel spirit twirled throughout the spacious bedchamber, leaving an afterimage trail of musical notes, each landing sweet on my ears.

"Hey." She said before embracing me. It was first I had seen her in over four months, but duel spirits never really tend to look different. The familiarity was a relief, and a reminder of how much things had changed in the interim.

"You look well." Pulling back from me, she blinked away a few tears. "Sorry, I don't mean to…but it's good to see a friendly face again.'

"Are you alright?" I asked softly.

"Haha, yeah. I just don't even know where to begin…"

"Me neither, to be honest. You go first." We laughed and began to share our tales.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **The field trip mini-arc will begin next chapter, and I'm very excited for it, as a lot of duels will be going down. Many characters will get some spotlight and development, should be a great time!**

 **I decided to go with the dynamic for Yugi and Kaiba being that of old friends, I think throughout the years they would have reconciled their differences, despite the fact that Kaiba never really went through a traditional redemption arc. Also, important thing to note, this story is set in an alternate timeline from canon GX (this is one of the reasons why some characters act a little different) but it is also a blend of sorts regarding the original series. It mostly follows the anime, so stuff like the Orichalcos arc happened, but everything that is compliant from the manga and season zero happened as well. So stuff like Death-T and Monster World happened as well. However, I have decided that Dark Side of Dimensions did not happen in this timeline, since obviously Kaiba needs to be alive in order for GX to even happen at all lmao. Dark Side of Dimensions was a good movie though, one of the better movies based off of a shonen property I've seen tbh. Mainly because my boy Kaiba was the main character, him summoning Obelisk through sheer force of will actually got me hype ngl.**

 **Yugi's a hard one to get down, mainly because we're used to seeing play off of Atem. I do think the years would change him slightly. I mainly included that aside with the cult of Light worshippers as a small window into the sort of adventures Yugi would have had between the original series and GX, I bet he was doing some absolutely nutty stuff but that's just me.**

 **The plan is for Jamie to track down and defeat Aster, but we know things never go according to plan. Someone else may interfere, and Kaiba may not be as in control of the situation as he thinks he is. Couldn't tell ya haha.**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed the duel, I was worried about getting it right. Jamie will be using Melodious Divas more often from now on of course, but thematically I wanted him and Sonata to reunite first. I also thought this would be a good way to show that playing to win isn't always exciting or even respectable, but the game is the game. Don't hate the player haha.**

 **Thanks for reading and I'll see you around!**


	46. 10 PM in Domino

Chapter 46: 10PM in Domino

Songs

Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2 OST – Ancient Mystery

Kingdom Hearts II OST – The 13th Struggle

Simple Plan – Last One Standing

Drake – Underground Kings (Instrumental)

(?)

In the cavern, she prayed. Clad in the traditionally white, clean robes of the _miko_ , she served the light in her own way. The cool and dark walls of the cave lent themselves to clarity, to reflection – the dark is not to be shunned entirely, so long as one remembers where the light is, and why it is ultimately preferable.

The candlelight made her raven hair look red to match the incongruous crimson lipstick she wore. Her eyes were an unusual shade of lilac, and always wide.

Behind her, a gale of frosty wind to the left – to the right, a stroke of yellow lightning. In heavy armor, two duel spirits materialized into this plane of reality.

"The students from Central Academy, under the care of Vellian Crowler, have made landfall." The first spirit was an enormous knight clad in light blue armor, cold to the touch. His tone was measured, and a bit slow. Far from ordinary spirits, these two emanated a royal aura, vast like the procession to a throne room.

"And with them, the Unseeable Ones." The other knight wore similar armor, only stormy grey. "The false angel of the sunshine coast, along with the White Dragon's pet, the one known as the Lion of Obelisk."

"…I see. Impressive nicknames, but we shall see the mettle behind them soon enough. And what of this boy who the demon spirits call king? The stories of that Yubel creature make my skin crawl." The woman was miniscule in comparison to the size of the two spirits, but her command over the situation was evident in the confidence of her words.

"Jaden Yuki is beyond the range of our sensors. He is in the Deep Den, the cavern formed by the blast. If he has the ability to come to this city in the time it takes to complete our mission, then his power is greater than we thought. As for Yubel, she pursues the Mad King's forces like a bloodhound, ignorant of the wider possibilities the blast presents. Generals Goldd and Silva have proved her equals, and are keeping her quite busy." The grey knight reported, his tone snappy and only barely tempered by deference.

"Good. I foresee no interference on that score. Destiny wills the heroes to clash again, but the presence of the Unseeable Ones clouds my vision, as well as my brother's. Nevertheless, we will proceed with the plan. Find the most powerful fighters and test their strength. More than that, see their minds. Keep the at-risk ones away from my brother. He has grown bolder lately…I believe he means to begin the conversion." The woman stared into the flames, her gaze hollow with fear.

"We shall move with the appropriate urgency." The icy warrior spoke grimly before disappearing in a gale of snow. The other nodded before vanishing to the sound of static.

"Sartorius…I cannot allow this to continue any longer." She rose, attaching a duel disk to her arm.

XxXxXxxXxXxXxxxx

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

"Oh boy, I can't wait for this field trip!" Syrus said cheerily, waving one of the flyers that announced the trip to the student body. We all got email correspondence about it as well.

At Alexis' invitation, a group of us got together for a meal at the Obelisk dining hall. Alexis, Erin, Atticus, and myself used some of our guest passes to get Syrus, Kenzan, Bastion, and Adam in. Mackenzie was there as well, not needing a guest pass as she was an honorary member of Obelisk Blue. Jasmine, curiously, was absent. The fare was an enjoyable mixture of east and west. We sat at a long table, eating grilled rockfish spiced with garlic and ginger. Bowls of noodles and rice sat next to roasted carrots, broccoli and mushrooms.

"Yeah, no kidding! Domino is a big city, there's going to be a lot to see and do. Sadly, there's not much in the way of surf there." Erin replied.

"So much history…why, Domino was where the legendary Battle City tournament took place! The hometown of Yugi Moto and Seto Kaiba! Our dueling will surely progress to the next level from this!" Bastion's nerdy ass was gushing harder than Syrus after a new season of High School DxD drops.

"Our family has been there many times. You'll love it, Mackenzie!" Atticus made another not-so-subtle overture at Reggie, who smiled with cold courtesy as she always did.

"I'm certain it will be an exciting experience, especially with you all as my traveling companions. I'm lucky to have such an opportunity." She said blandly. Through the rising steam from the hot food, our eyes met briefly, before breaking off.

"Has anyone heard anything else from Jaden? I'm worried about him." Alexis said from the head of the table. She was by far the most popular student in Obelisk Blue, not only because of her looks, but because of her disposition – fair, somewhat stern, yet graceful and generous.

"Nothing since he left me that note. I guess they don't get cell service out in the dark lands, wherever those are. He said he'd be back soon, so maybe he'll be able to join us." Syrus wrung his hands, fraught with worry over his best friend. Mackenzie leaned forward, clearly interested in Jaden's location as well, or rather the location of Winged Kuriboh.

I haven't forgotten what she's truly after. Winged Kuriboh was just as necessary to Tragodeia's ultimate plan as the Light and Darkness Dragon, and she already held the latter. So far, she hasn't made any overt movements against Jaden, but it was only a matter of time. As soon as she detected weakness, she'd pounce. I hoped that Jaden was packing something a little more useful than Neos if he was to face her.

"I take it you guys didn't have any trouble getting your permission forms signed." I said. Tobias and Joanna were supportive of the venture and knew I could handle myself in matters of traveling. I was lucky to have kind, well-meaning parents – I shudder to think what would have happened had I been born into a less…fortunate situation.

"Oh yeah, no sweat! Besides, the alternative would just be sitting here on the island." Atticus answered.

"My father took some convincing, but he came around eventually." Mackenzie volunteered. Considering what I knew of her dear old dad, I would've liked to be a fly on the wall during that conversation.

"Will Jasmine be able to come as well?" I leaned over to ask Bastion somewhat privately from the main discussion. He glanced at me and looked down.

"Erm, yes, I believe so." He said awkwardly. I wonder what Jasmine told him about me.

"That's good. I'm sure you two will have a great time." I replied, trying to be nice.

"Indeed." He responded in a clipped voice. Before I could talk to him further, he leaned and asked Syrus to pass the soy sauce. I guess he didn't want to talk to me at the moment.

"The boat leaves in only two days! Let's make this a great field trip, everyone!" Alexis raised her water glass in a toast, which we all reciprocated in kind. For a brief moment, I forgot my troubles and basked in the gesture of fellowship. Until I met Mackenzie's inscrutable eyes again.

"Wait, did you say boat?" Bastion suddenly did not look pleased.

XxxxXxXxxXxxxxXxxXXX

(Two Days Later…)

"Oh fuck, I think I'm gonna be sick aga-BLARGGGGGGGGG"

The ferry was hitting some turbulent waters, and as it turns out, Bastion didn't have much for sea legs. Why, he was so discombobulated he was cursing, when the vomiting was through that is.

Of course, the rest of us weren't exactly thriving either. The journey, around eight hours in length, proved punishing for most of us who weren't used to boats. Erin was fine, as was Kenzan. I, on the other hand, was struggling immensely, as was the rest of the student body. I wish we could just fly there.

"Aww, do you need another ginger ale, baby?" Jasmine was rubbing the poor bastard's back as he gripped the guardrail, even using baby talk. She was a good girlfriend to him, if nothing else. I was tempted to ask for a ginger ale as well, but I had been trying to minimize my interactions with Jasmine as much as possible. Bastion nodded and she went off to the cooler below decks.

"Here, Jamie." Alexis handed me a cold bottle of seltzer with a wry look. I weakly thanked her and tried to focus on the horizon. Keeping a fixed point of view helped keep my stomach calm.

"How come you aren't seasick?" I whimpered.

"Atticus and I have been on the open sea a few times before. We weren't doing so good at first, but after the first time it got easier."

"Hmm…" In my old body, I would probably would've handled the boat just fine as well as the Rhodes siblings, but I suppose Jamie probably had little experience with them.

When we made landfall, Headmaster Crowler, along with professors Hibiki and Sartyr (Drummond was left behind on bitch duty looking after the school with a handful of essential staff) corralled us all into rows, three for each of the dorms. There, we were given the agenda for tomorrow. It was getting late in the day, so we planned on checking into the hotel and getting to sleep early. Tomorrow would be a big day.

And I doubted tonight would be all that restful.

We checked into a fairly nice place, far fancier than the Japanese equivalent of a Super 8 I was expecting. It had the style of a traditional _ryokan_ , with all the amenities of a modern hotel. I shuddered to think how much this must have costed, but Kaiba paid for it all. The guy might be a bit of a bastard, but he sure treated his students well, and his funding was always nice to have. There were even hot springs on the premises – something told me those wouldn't mix well with a bunch of unruly, horny high school students, but what do I know?

I'm not going to lie, the traditionalism of the inn was quite cool, and I suddenly felt inspired to read more about the history of such place. More than anything, I was surprised that Kaiba, who disdained the past, decided to put us up here. Just to flaunt his wealth I guess.

The boys were rooming in the west wing, with the girls in the east. I was in the same room as Atticus, luckily. It would have been awkward if I had to share a bedroom with one of the same people who threw their lot in with Jasmine.

Atticus got off the boat faster than me, and had already set down his bags in the room. Now he seemed to be off doing something else. Amusingly, there were _kimonos_ in the closet of varying size and color. This truly was a weeaboo's wet dream, although since were actually in Japan I guess I couldn't cringe that much. Atticus had already taken one off the rack, leaving robes of emerald green, oily black, charcoal, silver, and crimson with gold patterns.

I sat on the bed and leaned back, resting a bit from the harsh journey. Unknowingly, I dozed off for about half an hour before my phone pinged.

 _Alexis: hey a bunch of us are going to hot springs, u coming?_

Attached was a picture of the gang in the hallway, comprised of Bastion, Jasmine, Syrus, Kenzan, Atticus, Alexis, Mackenzie, Adam, and Erin. All were in their kimonos - Bastion wore a simple, dignified black, Syrus a canary yellow, Adam charcoal grey, Kenzan mocha and Atticus royal blue, but frankly I was more interested in the other half of the group. Only part of Alexis' face was visible as she took the selfie, but she appeared to be wearing a periwinkle robe that complemented her pale skin well. Mackenzie's resplendent gold robe showed a generous amount of collarbone, while the contours of Erin's muscles could be seen through her violet shawl. Jasmine's slim frame was hidden beneath baggy, floral-patterned raiment.

Suddenly, I didn't feel so tired. Sadly, before I could type my affirmative response, another text message lit up my screen, from fucking Kaiba's burner phone. It was a group text involving Crowler. I had their names saved under pseudonyms in the event someone got access to my phone.

Eric (actually Kaiba): I need you both at the office at once. There is a car arriving at your location in ten minutes. Sean, come out first. The car will do a lap around the block a few times before coming again for Jack.

Sean was Crowler's pseudonym, while Jack was mine. Can't be too careful, I guess. The city was full of people from all over, and discretion was especially important compared to working on the island, where transit in and out was much more limited.

"Fuck." I muttered under my breath. What could the bastard possibly want that couldn't wait until morning? And why did we have to come to the office in person anyways? Oh. It dawned on me. This had to be really important.

I quickly unpacked my duel disk along with a few deck boxes. I placed the Melodious Divas in the main deck slot on the machine. Sonata appeared from nothingness, as if on cue. "You got a fight coming up?" She asked breezily.

"Soon, I'd wager." I said with a sour smile. I'd rather be with my friends, but it was for the best that they enjoy themselves while I quietly deal with this. "How do you feel about taking on Aster Phoenix? Or possibly Sartorius?" I told her everything I knew about the two men from canon, along with what they had done so far in this timeline.

"Powerful foes, from what you've told me. After that wave, I imagine Aster has some of those new destiny heroes from your timeline. And who knows what Sartorius is using? Arcana Force are normally a joke, but when you can manipulate fate and chance the cards suddenly become more intimidating. But I'm ready. I'd rather fight these guys than Blade Knight and Yubel." She said honestly.

"We'll have Crowler, the Kaiba brothers and possibly Yugi helping us. I can't complain about the quality of our companions, at least." I shrugged, putting on a simple light grey hoodie. I coupled this with black joggers and white high top sneakers. Low-key clothing would help keep a low profile if needs be.

"No, but it's too bad you'll have to miss a night with your friends." Sonata's voice took on a teasing lilt. "Especially your _very good friend_ Miss Rhodes. You know you probably shouldn't be…having relations with her, right? It's dangerous for her and a bit weird considering your…background."

She's probably right, actually. I had good intentions and didn't want to take advantage of her, but it was still…kind of bad considering I had a life before all this and the mind of someone older than Jamie Lancaster. As usual, Sonata was not shy about bringing up uncomfortable truths. And my gaze was turned once more to my ugly side.

"…we can talk about it later. Just be ready to fight."

XxXxXxXxxXXxXxXxxXxXxXxXx

Roland picked us up in an unobtrusive black Honda Civic with tinted windows, impeccably punctual as always. I met Crowler in the lobby, texting an apology to my friends. I hope they understood. Believe me, I'd rather be chillin' with the crew, as it were. But the mission always comes first.

After dropping Crowler off, Roland came around to pick me up. I threw up my hood and jumped in the car. The ride over was silent, as was the elevator ride up to Kaiba's office. It was well past the usual working hours and the tower was quiet.

Yugi, Kaiba and Mokuba were there with Crowler. "Good to see you made it alright. I believe this is the first time we've met in person, mister Lancaster." Yugi strode over to shake my hand. It was something of a surreal experience – this man was at the top of the mountain, the greatest duelist in possibly the entire world. And yet he was casual and even friendly with someone like me, a mere student. It was a remarkable thing. Unlike Kaiba, Yugi exuded an air of contentedness and fellowship – I could see how the guy made so many friends so easily.

Kaiba conversed with Crowler while Mokuba watched Spongebob on the television mounted on the wall. "I take it the students made it to their rooms without any trouble?"

"There's always some trouble with that lot, but nothing serious, sir." Crowler answered quickly, bothering with none of his usual foppishness.

"Good, they should have a restful night. We, on the other hand, have work to do. And it is only fitting that those who claim to wield the light be defeated under the cover of night." Kaiba smirked.

I raised my eyebrows. "So Aster and Sartorius are in the city." And I'm guessing they weren't alone. In the anime, Sartorius' sister and four goons wielding Monarchs were causing trouble on the field trip as well. She had some sort of ulterior motive, but what was it again? Furthermore, Aster was already allied with Jaden at this time in the show, while the opposite was true here.

"They were slippery bastards, to be sure – my agents may not have spotted them if Sartorius did not come to me. The man had the audacity to try and rent out Kaiba Land for three days." Kaiba sneered.

"Did you refuse him?" Yugi asked – apparently this was news to him as well.

"I told him that I was potentially open to it, depending on negotiations regarding the price. Of course I do not intend to grant it to him. But still, I got the measure of the man, so it was not entirely wasted time. Roland tracked his car, and I believe Sartorius and Aster are at the Grand Kuriboh hotel on the corner of 42nd street and Sakura Avenue. Lancaster, you and I will go to take care of them."

"I will be looking after my grandfather tonight with Tea. He is recovering from a hip fracture and needs care. That being said, I will also be keeping an eye on any suspicious activity in the southern part of the city. Crowler, please ensure that the students stay inside their hotel while keeping an eye on the east." Yugi bid.

"Roland and I will take the south while Seto and Jamie can look north after dealing with their respective opponents. There will be a brief interval where the north will be unsupervised, but hopefully the duels will be quick." Mokuba spoke up, turning off the television.

"We can't afford to wait much longer. Let's do this, now." Kaiba fastened a duel disk to his arm. We agreed and moved out, ready to take the fight to the enemy.

"Kaiba…please, show mercy. They are not bad people, only misguided." Yugi softly bid.

Kaiba frowned. "I suppose I will try."

XxXxXxxxXxxxXXxxXXXx

(Aster Phoenix POV)

"It appears we won't have to wait long. The Lion and the Dragon will be upon us soon. Are you ready, Aster?" Sartorius and Aster stood poised in their hotel's elevator. Ding, ding, ding, they went down the floors.

"I am ready." Jamie Lancaster did not scare Aster. If he was only equal to the Kaiser, then he would only be a mildly annoying obstacle. And besides, the Lord's fire burned within him, and gave him strength. What could some privileged schoolboy do in the face of that? His new Destiny Heroes would see him through. _"Dad, these are not the cards you made for me, but all the same I will fight with them in your name."_

"Your conviction is strong. I envy you, in truth." Sartorius said with a rare chuckle. "Seto Kaiba is strong and ruthless. If we lose, he will show us no mercy."

Aster gulped, surprised at his friend's attitude. "But surely God will never allow you to fail against him? Seto Kaiba is a sinner! His empire is built on greed, brutality and pride! He shuns all gods and emulates the ancient magicks with his perverse machines. There is no way our Lord will fail us here!"

"Your hope inspires me. I will carry your faith with me into battle like a banner. It is good that Yugi Moto does not ride with Kaiba. If those two combined their strength against us…. all would truly be lost. Jamie is a blessing in comparison, and a poor substitute for the King of Games." Sartorius' hands shook at the mention of Yugi.

They exited the elevator and stood in the lobby for a moment, getting their bearings. "The night is come, and it is full of foes. May the fire within keep us safe and hale. May the Lion and the Dragon shrink before your greatness, O lord, for they are hungry at our doorstep." Sartorius uttered a final prayer. There were some people milling about in the lobby, as it was not that late at night. They were unaware of the great battles to come.

Through the revolving doors came Kaiba and Lancaster, although Kaiba's billowing coattails got caught in the swinging contraption. "Fuck!" He uttered, stopping to extricate himself. Jamie wore a hoodie and joggers, ready to slip into the night at a moment's notice. His green eyes were alert and shrewd.

The two duos, trainer and protégé, stood opposite each other. "I didn't think you'd be this easy to find. Lucky for me." Kaiba sneered, his lips upturned in a cold smile.

"Not luck, but the lord's will." Sartorius appeared calm, but Aster could tell it was merely a façade.

"Oh right, I forgot you guys liked to put that little spin on everything. Regardless, your little scheming is at an end. Introductions being unneeded, let's get to the bottom of this. Tell me why you've been coming to my island and messing with my students." Kaiba demanded, his strident voice carrying through the hotel lobby.

"Mister Kaiba, let us speak like gentlemen…I'm sure we can come to an understanding." Sartorius replied.

"Why did you cause the blast? These Synchros and Exceeds are your doing, aren't they? If you have the power to transform the world like you did, why bother sneaking about like this?" Kaiba's questions were designed to provoke. He would have been disappointed if this matter were settled with words – he wanted a fight, regardless of Yugi's words earlier.

"I wish I knew, mister Kaiba. It appears that Jaden and Aster's clash triggered a powerful force. These new cards are merely side effects of something much deeper, I believe." Sartorius said, and Aster wasn't sure if he was lying or not. Sartorius has never discussed the full implications of the blast with him. In fact, he had even expressed confusion to him before. A cold trickle of doubt entered Aster's mind.

"I don't believe that for a moment. I know what you people are. I've dealt with your like before, and this matter has already used up too much time. This is what you wanted, isn't it? Or else you would not come to this city, where my students lie in wait to be the subject of some nefarious scheme! Tell me, do you have any real power, or are you nothing more than Aster's puppeteer?" Kaiba snarled. I side-eyed him – maybe provoking Sartorius in such a way wasn't the best move. Then, I supposed anyone who claimed mastery over destiny and fate was bound to piss Kaiba off. That last little comment set Aster off as well, his blue eyes glowering beneath silver bangs.

Sartorius' unctuous smile slowly slipped into a set line. "I see you are set on a battle, mister Kaiba. I had hoped we could come to some kind of accords." The regret was so plainly false I wondered if we were playing into Sartorius' hands somehow by starting a fight. But we needed to take him down at some point – why not now? This would test just how strong his powers over fate were, if nothing else.

"Too bad. You plot against me, you pay the price. We'll play on the roof – partially as an homage to Clerks, but mainly because I want to show this whole city what happens to those who defy me!" Kaiba jerked his thumb upwards. He glanced back at me. "I'm trusting you to handle things down here, Lancaster. I'll see you when this is all finished." They then took what I could only assume was a remarkably awkward elevator ride to the roof.

I felt a foreboding chill as the elevator _dinged_ , signaling its closing, leaving Aster, myself, and some confused hotel patrons and staff in the lobby.

Aster turned his gaze, luminescent and baleful, back to me. "I've heard about you, Jamie Lancaster."

I guess this was the first time I had ever actually exchanged words with him. "Have you now? What's my reputation like in the pro circuit?" I replied cheekily.

"I heard about you from Sartorius. Most people are like an open book to him, but you're difficult for him to read." Aster noted.

"Well, I've heard about you, and I gotta say I expected something different. I heard you were arrogant, snarky, and particularly stubborn. I didn't take you for a man of the cloth, so to speak." I put my hands behind my head, speaking casually as if we were chilling at the hotel bar.

"My faith granted me strength in the darkest hours of my life. Sartorius showed me the right path when I needed it. The Light has given me so much, more than Kaiba's spoils could ever match. If you were wise, you would join us." Aster was unbending.

I sighed, lowering my arms. "Listen man, I think it's incredible how successful you've become, especially considering what you've had to overcome. I wish we could have met under better circumstances. But we have good information that Sartorius is not what he says he is. I know he's your friend, but he's planning some seriously evil shit."

"Oh?" Aster clearly didn't believe me. "Go on."

"Uh, how do I put this politely…he's planning on enslaving the human race and farming their life force to power a weapon that's going to destroy the planet." The words tumbled out of my mouth.

"Cool story, bro. Now then, is there a reason you're here, or…?" He chuckled. I guess I could have phrased that more delicately – sadly, I did not have the _shonen_ protagonist's ability to change people's entire belief systems after one speech. At least this confirmed that Aster wasn't in on Sartorius' true plans.

"It's not too late. He's misleading you to a terrible end. I'm not trying to sell you anything or get you to work for Kaiba, believe me." I tried to get him to see reason again.

"I have no reason to believe anything you say, and I know you're no friend of mine. Sartorius is, and I will not betray him! Now, if you are a true duelist, face me!" Aster bid. Looks like we're doing this the hard way, not that I mind.

 _"Looks like the speech didn't work out."_ Sonata laughed lightly as she materialized next to me. _"Too bad. Now you'll have to fight."_

"Yeah, I'm real sad about it." I smiled angrily, a storm of emotions churning within me. "Let's beat him down!"

Aster narrowed his eyes. "Um….I swear this isn't a trick, but what on earth is that behind you?"

"Yeah, okay bud. Next you're gonna tell me the word gullible is written on the ceiling." I shook my head at him.

"…Is that Jaden Yuki emerging from a portal?" Aster was putting on a very convincing confused expression, pointing a finger in my direction.

"This is a little far to go for a joke. Let's just duel already!" I frowned.

"Uh, he's actually serious, Ja-" Sonata's warning was cut off my the sound of a booming voice from the doorway.

"What's good, fellas? It's your favorite boy!" Jaden Yuki's voice sounded right behind me. I wheeled around to see my wayward friend.

Sure enough, a multicolored portal was fading rapidly behind Jaden's frame. In his hands was a worn map of Domino City, and a knapsack was flung carelessly over his shoulder. He wore a plain, dirty black t-shirt that had doubtless survived many adventures. His jeans were roughed up and torn in some places, his sneakers dusty. His hair was a little longer than usual, but messy as always. Reassuringly, his eyes were their normal shade of brown.

"Man, that whole portal thing is such a trip! You've gotta try it sometime, Jamie. I can't really control where it goes yet, though. I knew I'd go somewhere in Domino City, but beyond that it gets a little messy." Jaden grinned. "And I didn't know you had a duel spirit! She looks strong!'

"Uh…thanks." I glanced to my side, and sure enough, Sonata was still there, preening at the complement. Of course Jaden wasn't curious about _how_ I got a duel spirit, he just thought it was neat that I got one.

"So, what brings you here anyways?" Jaden, amusingly, was either ignoring Aster or didn't realize he was there yet. His Winged Kuriboh spirit was introducing himself to Sonata, the hairball's deep voice rumbling greetings.

"All of us are on a field trip. Everyone else should be at the hotel right now. I'm here on business." I said succinctly, hoping I would have a chance to fill him later. However, Jaden's attention already flit to something else.

"Hey, it's Aster Phoenix. What's going on, bro?" Jaden waved cheerily at the same guy who had destroyed his cards, albeit unwittingly. Erin told me that Jaden nearly beat Aster's ass after the duel and was only stopped because of Aster's bodyguards. To see him address the man with a smile was a bit creepy actually.

Aster, for all that he was a bit fucked in the head, seemed to agree, judging by his vaguely confused expression. "What are you doing here? No one's seen or heard from you in weeks."

"It's a long story, one I'd be glad to tell Jamie later. As for you, well, you can keep wondering." Jaden clenched his fist. "I'm a lot stronger now. My new heroes and I have been itching to settle the score with you, Aster."

"You've acquired new cards…and your aura is darker than ever…I can see now why Sartorius took an interest in you. It was not my intent to destroy your cards and change this world, but this is the course destiny has guided us upon. Just like before, I cannot accept someone who uses hero monsters for their own selfish pleasure. Have you changed your ways?" Aster asked, seemingly sincerely.

"Haha, nope!" Jaden smiled, while Winged Kuriboh struck an "intimidating" pose. "I'm gonna keep having fun! I'm gonna keep chasing my dream and trying my best, no matter what you say!"

Aster begrudgingly inclined his head, having no choice but to acknowledge Jaden's unbreakable will. "You are an interesting one, Jaden Yuki. I wonder what your true motive is."

"What you see is what you get – I'm just a guy who duels for fun!" Jaden shot his fist out in a show of gumption. "It looks like you guys were about to fight. Is that true?" Jaden suddenly turned his attention on me. I nodded.

"That would be a sweet match to watch, but I'm kinda itching for some payback. Do you mind if I take another swing at this guy, Jamie?" Jaden was like a child pleading for ice cream.

I weighed my options. I didn't know the contents of Jaden's new deck, although I had a few ideas. He won the rematch against Aster in canon, but many factors were different here. However, if I left this in his hands, I could go keep an eye and Mackenzie and/or look out for Sartorius' sister, who was surely prowling the city at this very moment. Plus, I'd want some payback if I were in Jaden's position. What sort of friend would I be if I denied him the sweet pleasure of revenge? My well of kindness towards Aster was rather shallow anyways.

"…Alright then. I have a few other matters to attend to anyways. I'll beat you down some other time, Phoenix." I gave him a cheeky wave. "I hope you two enjoy yourselves. I'm sure I'll find some other diversion to occupy me."

The silver-haired boy scoffed and shook his head. "You speak as if you could defeat me at your whim. If you are only an equal to the Kaiser, that claim is unearned, lion cub. But go on and run if you wish. I will battle you again, Jaden. But be warned – this will be the last time, I swear it."

I threw up my hood. "I'll send you the directions to the hotel, Jaden. Sartorius and Kaiba are dueling on the roof. I'll let him know what's going on. Otherwise, I think there are more enemies around here, so be careful."

"Yeah, for sure man! See ya later!" Jaden nodded, and we bumped fists. Sparing a last look at Aster, I moved out onto the nighttime streets, working out my next move. Beneath every option lurked danger, but something had to be done – he who dares, wins.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Jaden Yuki POV)

He felt the dark slithering inside his veins, cooling and relaxing him even as he stood on the precipice of battle against his rival, the same man who sent him spiraling down in the first place, albeit unwittingly.

Although the situation was fairly serious, Jaden felt an impish desire to prank Aster. Not only did he deserve to have the piss taken out of him, but his rival seemed intent on making everything into some cosmic struggle anyways, so why not take that concept and run with it?

Eh, that would be unnecessarily mean-spirited. Besides, from what Jamie said, there were other foes in the city. Best to take care of this fast and move on to the other threats.

Summoning the darkness, the deep brown timber of his eyes burned into a golden flame. A black aura, glinting with lustrous yellow, ensconced his frame, but his smile remained the same. "Let's have a sweet match!"

Jaden could see Aster tense, though the pro duelist was good at hiding it. "You may act innocent, but you're deadly. I won't let you have your way, warrior of darkness."

Huh, looked like Aster still thought he was some kind of demonic entity. Oh well, it's kinda fun to play the bad guy sometimes! "Yes, prepare to go the shadow realm, mortal! Ooh!" Jaden wiggled his fingers and stuck out his tongue.

"I will not stand here and be mocked by you! _I will not_!" Aster and Jaden took their stances, now truly ready to fight.

"My turn! I'll start my setting a monster and two face-downs." Aster quickly slapped the cards down. "My father's cards will not fail me!"

"I draw." Jaden said confidently. "I'll start by summoning **Elemental Hero Solid Soldier (1300/1100).** " A young warrior in stony grey armor took the field, his forearms weighed with heavy shields. "When this hero is normal summoned, I can special summon a level four or lower hero from my hand. Here comes **Elemental Hero Shadow Mist (1000/1500)** in defense mode!" This next hero was incongruous with the rest of Jaden's crew, a shadowy wraith with vaguely female affects, trapped in a shell of black plate.

"When Shadow Mist is special summoned, I can add a quick-play spell with the word "Change" in its name from deck to hand." Jaden explained. Aster worked his jaw, wondering what this new strategy was.

"Then, I'll set a card. Finally, I'll attack your set monster with Solid Soldier!" The stony knight rushed forward, lifting its hefty shields to batter the adversary.

However, it was Jaden's monster who was thrown back, the attack crashing helplessly against a literal brick wall. Aster's monster was an enormous humanoid monster crafted from navy blue bricks. It was Destiny Hero Defender **(100/2700).** Aster smirked – most destiny heroes had low defense points, but this was an obvious exception, and a good way to get some early damage in.

 _"That was dumb."_ Jaden thought, shaking his head. He couldn't afford to make mistakes like that. But still, he had a plan. **(Jaden 2600/Aster 4000)**

"Well, Jaden," Aster's voice was dripping with sarcasm, "it seems your trip wasn't spent in remedial classes, at the very least."

"Um…" Jaden searched for a witty reply. "you're never gonna catch me in class! Wait…anyways I end my turn.

"Very well." Aster began his next turn, the life advantage letting him regain some composure. "I'll start by playing **Foolish Burial** , allowing me to send **Destiny Hero Malicious (800/800)** to the graveyard from my deck. Then, I'll play **Allure of Darkness**! This spell lets me draw two cards, so long as I banish a dark monster from my hand afterwards." Already, Aster was employing his deck's strong searching power.

"Then, I'll use Malicious' effect, banishing itself to special summon another copy from my deck!" The somewhat satanic destiny hero took the field, a mere piece in Aster's full plan.

"I didn't think I'd be the first to fuse in this duel, but I don't mind! I play **Polymerization** , fusing Malicious and Defender on the field!" The two dark heroes swirled together, the mixing energy rising higher off the ground. Aster clasped his palms together. "Fusion summon! **Destiny Hero – Dystopia (2800/2400)**!"

The emerging hero was a slim figure in gold and purple armor, the letter D inscribed in bloody crimson ink on its forehead. Although Aster served the light, this creature was shadowy and mysterious, void energy coalescing in the monster's palms.

"When this monster is summoned, I can deal damage to you equal to the attack points of a level four or lower Destiny Hero in my graveyard. Sadly, only Defender fits the bill." Aster said as Dystopia shot a violet sphere of energy at Jaden's field, only hitting for a hundred points. **(Jaden 2500/Aster 4000)**

"No sweat!" Jaden smirked, his eyes bright and fiery.

"Try saying that about this attack! Dystopia, take down his Solid Soldier!" Aster's fused hero leapt forward, purple flames clasped in its hand.

"Not quite! I play my face-down, **Negate Attack**!" The counter trap briefly surprised Aster, who clearly expected it to be the quick-play spell Jaden searched last turn. His battle phase ended, the pro duelist passed turn.

"My turn. I play **E – Emergency Call** to search a hero from my deck." Jaden knew that he would have to play this just right if he wanted to deal with Aster's face-downs and his powerful monster.

"Then, I'll set two cards. And now that it's the last card in my hand, I can special summon **Elemental Hero Bubbleman (800/1200)** to the field!" The silly aquatic blue hero clashed terribly with Jaden's affected persona, but fit his true personality well. _"I'd have to get some super evil-looking hero monsters to really play the villain. But what would an Evil Hero look like? Kind of an Oxycontin. Erm, wait that's not right. What's that word? Oxy-something. Bastion would know. Anyways…_

"Now, let me show you the fusion technique I learned in the dark lands! I activate **Mask Change**!" a mask made of strange, multicolored light appeared in Elemental Hero Bubbleman's thick hands. Knowing what to do, the hero put on the mask and began to transform, becoming taller and slimmer.

"What is this?! A fusion summon with only one material?" Aster muttered, baffled.

"It's a transformation! Mask Change lets me send a hero to the graveyard and summon a Masked Hero from my extra deck with the same attribute! Let's go, **Masked Hero Acid (2600/2100)**!"

The Masked Hero emerged in a cloud of vaporous material, violet and blue and black. Its outfit was a superhero's costume fixed with gear designed to handle toxic materials and gases. He held a comically small, ladylike gun in his hand, but something told Aster that the weapon was deadly.

"Now get this! When Masked Hero Acid is special summoned, I can destroy all Spells and Traps you control! Go, toxic typhoon!" Jaden's new hero shot spurts of viscous green slime at Aster's set cards, melting them quickly.

"In response, I chain my trap card **Waboku** , preventing my monsters from destruction and keeping me safe from damage this turn. The other trap you destroyed was **D-Tactics** – when it's destroyed, I can add a Destiny Hero from deck to hand." The board wipe didn't affect Aster as badly as Jaden would have liked.

 _"Man, that guy's got an answer for everything!"_ The red hero thought. "After that effect resolves, Acid reduces the attack of your monsters by 300." Reducing Dystopia's value to 2500 made Acid the strongest monster on the field.

"Another mistake, demon. When Dystopia's attack value is different from its original value, I can use this quick effect! I can target a card on the field, destroy it, and then return Dystopia back to its original 2800 points!" Aster responded. Opening a shadowy portal, Dystopia allowed the toxic spray to pass through it. An instant later, another gate opened behind Masked Hero Acid, depositing the payload onto Jaden's monster and destroying it.

 _"Damn, I should have known he would get stronger cards from the blast too. I knew this was gonna be a tough fight. I just have to keep trying!"_ Jaden thought. "I play the spell card **Mask Charge**. This lets me add a hero monster and a "Change" quick-play spell from grave to hand." Jaden got back his Mask Change and immediately set it and another card while keeping his Bubbleman in reserve. "I end my turn."

"Mom, dad…give me strength!" Jaden overheard Aster whisper before he drew his next card, and suddenly he felt a stab through his heart. "Destiny Heroes are the best heroes, no matter what mask yours put on!"

"I summon **Destiny Hero Diamond Dude (1400/1600)**." This hero Jaden remembered from their last duel, encrusted in gemstones and donning a reflective visor. "Now, I'm going to end this. Whether you're a demon or not, you haven't progressed beyond Jaden Yuki's skills that I observed previously."

Aster raised his next card skyward. "Now, prepare to face my true power! I activate-" He was suddenly cut off by one of the hotel's employees tapping his shoulder. While he was focused on his next play, she snuck up on him.

"Guah!" was the odd noise that escaped Aster's lips upon being startled.

The woman in charge was dressed in a deep green blouse and khakis with the hotel's logo on them. Her brown hair was kept in one of those folded caps that Jaden forgot the name of at the moment. "Um, hi, I'm really sorry, but we're going to have to ask you to step outside. We've received some noise complaints from the patrons on the floor above us. I'm really sorry. By the way, are you really Aster Phoenix?" She asked clumsily.

"Erm…" Aster overcame his surprise and turned on the charm. "Why yes, you are correct. I take it you're one of my fans?"

"Oh my god, yes! My sister and I watch you on TV all the time! You're such a skilled player, we love to watch you! I'm so sorry about this, my boss is making me –" She rambled.

"Oh, gimme a break!" Jaden muttered, bemused.

"It's no trouble at all. We'll see ourselves out." Aster inclined his head gracefully. The two rivals awkwardly made their way into the parking lot, where they recommenced battle.

"Anyways, where was I? Ah yes, ending this duel!" Aster then made the same dramatic gesture of raising his card into the air. "I activate **Fusion Destiny**!" Waves of white and blue lit up the night sky. "This lets me fusion summon a Destiny Hero monster using materials from my deck! It's destroyed at the end of the next turn, but this duel won't be lasting that long! I send Destiny Heroes Disk Commander, Drawhand, and Captain Tenacious to the graveyard!"

The three materials swirled into the vortex of light, mixing briefly before bursting in a flash of dark grey, stormy energy. "Brutal avenger of the night, cast the sins of criminals and demons alike into the bright of day! End this night once and for all, for it is dark and full of terrors! Come forth, **Destiny Hero Dominance (2900/2600)**!"

Aster's new boss monster was absolutely massive, even larger than the Destiny Hero Dogma he used in his previous match against Jaden. Diamond Dude, Dystopia, and Jaden's monsters all looked miniscule next to it. He wore enormous grey armor with a crimson "D" on his chest. Behind him, a curtain-sized cape fell from a strange lifted mantle. His blade was a hefty, blunt piece of cut steel with notches near the base.

"He's a strong fighter, but this hero's real power is to predict the future! His special ability lets me look at the top five cards of my deck and arrange them in any order I wish." As Aster looked through his resources, Jaden marveled at what a fun fight this was turning out to be. _"I can't wait to take that big guy down!"_ He thought.

"Now, I'll use Diamond Dude's effect to turn over the top card of my deck. If it's a normal spell, I can use it for no cost next turn. And because I made sure it's on top, I'll send my Destiny Draw to the graveyard." Aster set up the order of his cards to use Diamond Dude's effect perfectly.

"Now, I'm taking you down! Destiny Hero Dystopia, attack Masked Hero Acid!" The gold-plated hero sprung forward, readying a downward kick as it fell towards Jaden's Masked Heroes.

"Not gonna happen! Activate reverse card, Mirror Force! This will destroy all of your attack position monsters!" Ol' Reliable came through once again, destroying both of Aster's fusion monsters along with his Diamond Dude in a chaotic reflection of power. Rainbow light frayed all over the parking lot, causing the car mirrors to glare and the stars to briefly blot out.

"Hehe, sorry, your new monster was really cool, but a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do!" Jaden shrugged.

Aster's hair flew every which way as holographic mirror shards soared by him. "I won't let that stop me! When Destiny Hero Dominance is destroyed, I can special summon three level nine or lower Destiny Heroes from my graveyard! I summon back Dystopia, Diamond Dude, and **Destiny Hero Drawhand (1600/800)**!"

The third revived hero was a rather dapper fellow wearing a heavy three-piece suit with a matching scarf and hat. In his hand was an old-school peacekeeper with the letter "D" engraved on the barrel. "When this monster is summoned by a Destiny Hero monster's effect, we both get to draw a card."

"Now, I'll resume my attack! Dystopia, take down Acid!" The golden warrior's kick struck true this time, destroying Jaden's hero. **(Jaden 2300/Aster 4000)**

"Now, Drawhand, destroy Shadow Mist!" The dapper Drawhand cocked back his revolver and prepared to shoot.

"Wrong! I play Mask Change again, this time transforming Shadow Mist into a new Masked Hero!" Jaden's slim wraith became more solid and strong, clad now in purple armor. It was the same creature that had shown him through the dark beaches and the deep dens, the hero who walked in shadows and knew the laws of the universe that were enacted beyond the sight of the ordinary. "I summon **Masked Hero Dark Law (2400/1800)**!"

Aster furrowed his brow, having no choice but to redirect his attack. "Very well, instead I will attack your Solid Soldier with Drawhand." Perturbed though he was by the mysterious new foe, Aster still scored another blow on Jaden, busting apart the rocky foot soldier. **(Jaden 1900/Aster 4000)**

"The gap widens. I'm starting to wonder if you plan on damaging me any time soon." Aster mocked.

"I'm not worried. A duel isn't over until the last card is played, and my cards and I have a bond forged by unimaginable experiences." Came Jaden's odd reply.

"Unimaginable experiences? You've had those cards for two weeks at most." Aster bit at the bait.

"Two weeks…time passed differently in there. I saw visions, things my imagination would never have been able to conjure in a million years. Horrors, beauties, mysteries…even the glimpse of the cosmos, the true cosmos, was almost too much to bear. You say that the Light grants you enlightenment, but in the darkness is stark reality. If you doubt me, allow me to show a piece of what my eyes have seen." Jaden never lost his boyish timbre, even as he spoke of these things, and that made it all the more frightening for Aster.

"I will never allow you in my head! Never!" Aster protested, not attempting to deny Jaden's claim.

"I should've figured you wouldn't be a fan of the idea. That's okay. I get it. Anyways, my turn." Jaden drew casually. "I play **Card of Sanctity** , allowing us each to draw until we have six cards in hand." Trusting in the bond he had with his cards, he replenished his hand.

"I've got to try this. I play Polymerization, letting me fuse Elemental Heroes Bubbleman and Sparkman in my hand to fusion summon a familiar face for you! I summon **Elemental Hero Absolute Zero (2500/2000)**!" The icy hero had become one of his more favored fusions for its powerful effect and cool appearance. This time, he hoped the power would be enough.

"Hmph, that again? That won't be enough to swing over my Dystopia." Aster rightly pointed out. "Neither will that Dark Law of yours."

"You and I both know that duels can't be reduced to numbers…Absolute Zero, attack his Diamond Dude!" The snowy hero's cape flapped furiously behind him as a torrent of icicles shot from his palms. The attack went through, skewering the Destiny Hero, though the diamonds remained unscratched. **(Jaden 1900/Aster 2900)**

"I activate my trap card, **Destiny Signal**! When a Destiny hero is destroyed by battle, I can summon one from my deck!" Aster called out the card's effect, assuming it would activate. However, all he received was a message from the duel disk warning him of an invalid activation. "How? Diamond Dude went to the graveyard!"

"Sorry, but that's where Dark Law comes in. While he's on the field, all cards that would normally go to your graveyard are banished instead. I know your Destiny Heroes get a lot out of the graveyard, so I looked for a card that could help me fight them. And somehow, my wish became real." Jaden explained.

"…I see. But I will not let that stop me. Dystopia still stands strong." Aster, like Jaden, was a stubborn fighter.

"I activate my quick-play magic, **De-Fusion** , sending Absolute Zero to the graveyard in order to bring back Bubbleman and Sparkman!" The two weaker heroes arrived fresh to the fight. "But more importantly, Absolute Zero's effect activates, destroying all monsters on your side of the field!"

And so Aster's entire field met its end by ice, a tidal wave of snow that smothered his hopes. With Sparkman, Bubbleman, and Dark Law on the field, Jaden could now strike with an attack power of 4800. "All three of my heroes, thanks for your help! Attack directly!" Jaden called, and they all rushed forward. Sparkman shot crackling bolts of electricity, Bubbleman a mockingly soft stream of water, and finally Dark Law finished the job with a swift stroke of the blade **(Jaden 1900/Aster 0)**

(Aster Phoenix POV)

Aster was struck speechless, both at the defeat and the way it had come, swift and merciless, utterly in defiance of his principles and of what Sartorius told him. This was not his fate! To lose to this smiling child…but was he truly as innocent as he appeared? Aster could not make up his mind whether Jaden was a simple teenage boy or some arcane, dark entity with grand designs for the universe. His face, bright-eyed and happy, seemingly told all, when really it told nothing, nothing at all. He wanted to mock Jaden Yuki's smile, and yet for some reason it caused a deep fear to take root within him.

"What are you, really?" Aster murmured, unsure of what to say or do now that defeat had finally befallen him.

"Three dragons atop a spire of steel…I saw that vision before, in the dark world." Jaden muttered, his eyes attracted to something in the sky. Aster turned around and followed the other boy's path of vision to the top of the hotel.

Flying boldly against the curtain of stars were three dragons, pale as opals with, what else, blue eyes. They battled a strange, alien machine, its claws whirring while lasers fired from its center.

"Sartorius!" Aster could think of nothing else but concern for his friend, who was facing down one of the most powerful duelists ever.

"Gosh, it must be Seto Kaiba up there fighting Sartorius. Talk about tubular! Do you think we should go up there and watch? That girl at the hotel desk might be able to help us. She seemed to like you!" Just like that, Jaden's grudge against Aster was gone, and he spoke to the pro duelist like he would anyone else.

"I have to get up there!" Aster grit his teeth. "Congrats on the win, Jaden. If you're down for a rematch, we could duel again sometime. But for now I need to get up there."

"Okay, sounds good bro. Say, do you want me to show you those visions I was talking about earlier? They're super weird!" Jaden said excitedly.

Aster wasn't sure he ever wanted to see what Jaden had supposedly seen. "Um, maybe later. You can do whatever you want, but I'm getting to that rooftop!"

"Ok, sure. I'm going there too. It's not every day you get to see a Blue-Eyes White Dragon in action."

As the boys rushed back into the hotel, they were oblivious to the shadowy formation of an impermeable barrier around the city, barring both exit and entry. At the four corners of the city and beyond, titans loomed taller than skyscrapers, invisible to those without the sight.

Once the barrier was fully formed, the monarchs stormed forth.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **For some reason, I find the idea of other characters thinking of Jaden as some eldritch abomination highly amusing. Of course, he does have some pretty bizarre powers that are dark in nature, but ironically, he's probably the character Aster should be least concerned about at the moment. I greatly enjoy toying with exactly how innocent and naïve Jaden really is. I wonder what exactly he did see during his time in the spirit world? Something tells me it wasn't exactly the cute and cuddly Narnia rip-off Ruka/Luna visited in 5D's.**

 **I really enjoyed writing the battle of heroes. Aster and Jaden, along with Jamie, are special cases of a sort, and the blast that brought Synchros and Xyz's to the world of GX affects them a little differently due to the cosmic forces those three characters are affected by. It could be that their decks aren't done evolving yet. Who knows?**

 **Like in canon, we see the appearance of Sarina, Sartorius' sister. However, she seems preoccupied on two different duelists than in canon…and due to the weaker boundaries between the dimensions, she was able to subjugate the actual duel spirits of the monarchs. How many monarchs are actually in the city remain to be seen, but it is more than four. We also have Sartorius facing off against Kaiba, a match I'm sure we all wished we could have seen in the series.**

 **By the way, remember when people thought Domain Monarch was going to be the strongest deck when Link monsters came out? LMAO I haven't played against a Monarch deck in literal years. But I digress, hope you all enjoyed the chapter and thank you for your continued readership!**


	47. The Monarchs Stormforth

Chapter 47: The Monarchs Storm Forth

(Bastion Misawa POV)

The evening was proving enjoyable, the respite most welcome after the trials of the day's journey. After hitting the hot springs, the group of Central Academy students all gathered in his and Adam's room to watch a movie. He was allowed to pick the film, and thus he had tremendous pressure placed upon him. Jamie had once told him the best movies to watch with girls were horror films, but Bastion was afraid he would actually be more scared than Jasmine. Besides, he wanted to enjoy some quality dialogue and acting. He settled on The Princess Bride.

One of Adam's friends had secured some alcohol, and they were drinking small bottles of some cheap vodka called UV Blue. Bastion thought it tasted terrible, but he pressed on anyways for the sake of keeping up social decorum. Interestingly, Alexis and Erin downed the stuff like water. Still, he vowed not to get drunk, in the case another battle arose.

"Hey, you guys! Jaden's back!" Syrus looked up from his phone with a grin. "Jamie got a text from him, I guess. He's in Domino City!"

Mackenzie paused mid-drink and listened attentively. Jasmine, who was cuddling in Bastion's arms, leaned forward in interest. "Where did Lancaster find him?"

"He didn't, Jaden apparently just texted him. He didn't tell me where Jaden was – maybe he didn't know." Syrus shrugged. "I'm sure he'd update us if he knew anything else."

"What is Lancaster even doing, anyways? We're not supposed to leave the hotel! And why is he our sole informant on Jaden? Jaden has hands, he can text us himself!" Jasmine protested.

"Maybe he got in a duel or something. The guy's always itching for a fight. Maybe Aster Phoenix met him for a rematch." Kenzan supplied. "The sarge can handle himself, and we're under orders not to leave the building. As for Jimbo, he's probably doing some errand for his boss."

Jasmine looked frustrated that no one was as concerned about the situation as her. "Fine, if you guys want to be idle, so be it." Was her waspish reply. Mackenzie seemed to sympathize with Jasmine, but said nothing. Likewise, Erin looked conflicted about the situation.

"I wonder why Jamie didn't let one of us know where he was going?" Alexis asked, looking rather upset. It made sense, Bastion supposed. She and Jamie were good friends.

"Perhaps Professor Crowler knows where those two are." Bastion offered, wanting to be useful. "I'll go ask him. Either way, he'll want to know that Jaden is alright."

"For legal liability reasons, if nothing else." Atticus japed.

"Hurry back." Jasmine squeezed Bastion's arm. He went to his bedroom and changed back into a green t-shirt and khakis before he left the room, loping down the hall towards Professor Sartyr's room. Just in case, he kept his duel disk with him.

Crowler's location was easy to get out of the weak-willed head of Ra Yellow, and thus he moved down to the lobby.

Suddenly, a loud THUMP could be heard outside, like a hunk of metal has just fallen to the ground. It made Bastion's teeth rattle, and he nearly lost balance from the force of the apparent landing. "What on earth was that?" He murmured to himself. He glanced over to the receptionist, a questioning look in his eye. Strangely, the receptionist didn't seem to notice the noise, judging by the way she was clacking away on her computer's keyboard. Bastion crept to the window, peering out between the blinds.

Professor Crowler was outside, standing across from two enormous duel spirits. Easily surpassing ten meters in height, one of their legs was larger and thicker than Crowler's entire body, or his own for that matter. The two beings had huge, billowing cloaks ade of clearly fine material. Their armor was similarly fancy, with giant rings adorning the back plate. The first spirit had golden brown armor with huge gauntlets, while the other was adorned with lighter, minty green mail and a helm in the shape of a hawk's head.

Bastion rushed outside, the sliding doors quietly announcing his arrival. "You two seem to be mistaken. There are no students here. If you must know, I'm here on vacation – a vacation you two louts are currently spoiling, I'll have you know!" Crowler protested, his back to Bastion.

"Our master's sight allows us to easily see past your futile deceptions, Vellian Crowler." The brown knight rumbled in a hard, unforgiving voice. "We are here to gauge their strength – otherwise, we mean no harm."

"I find such words hard to believe from a duel spirit. Your arrival has never bode well for us humans, you understand. There is nothing here! Now turn around and go look somewhere else." Crowler shot back.

"Listen, doc, we came here ready for a fight. Are ya sure ya wanna try fightin' the two of us without any help? We're monarchs – we used to rule over lands and castles in the spirit realm. We didn't get to our position by birthright. We made the other spirits bow and give us fealty." The green one said with a easy cadence.

"We know about the threat the human known as Sartorius presents. We are not under his command, I swear it." The brown one added.

"Whoever you serve doesn't matter to me. I will not let a duel spirit do as they wish with my students! I will not have it! This is your last warning! Turn around now!" Crowler was ever defiant, despite the monarch's words.

The green one sighed. "Man, these humans are really stubborn. I guess you'd have to be in order to seal the spirits into cards in the first place, all those millennia ago. You guys always like to settle things by force."

Bastion wondered at that. He knew well that the bloody history between humans and duel spirits went back almost ten thousand years, to the days of Atlantis and the stone of Orichalcos. Was the first contact between humans and duel spirits in a war? A war over what? Humans evidently must have won somehow in order to seal the spirits away into cards, but how did they possibly win without cards to fight with?

"Go ahead and deal with this clown, Raiza. I'll go search for the others." The brown-clad Monarch ordered.

"Sweet! I get the fun part!" The one known as Raiza whistled. Crowler despaired – he had no chance of holding the two Monarchs back by himself.

"You won't have to look far!" Bastion made his presence known at last, raising his voice to what he hoped was a brave tenor. He stepped forward. Crowler wheeled around in shock, while the Monarchs looked on in interest.

"You do not match the description of the Unseeable Ones…yes, I know you for Bastion Misawa, of Ra Yellow." The brown one remarked. Bastion recognized him now – this was Granmarg, the Rock Monarch.

"What do you two want?" Bastion asked sharply.

"Our primary orders are to bring the duelists known as Reggie Mackenzie and Jamie Lancaster to our master, Lady Sarina of the Twin Mirrors. Our secondary orders are to prevent contact between the students of Central Academy and Sartorius." Granmarg was more forthcoming than Bastion expected, but he had little time to think on the words before Crowler approached him.

"What are you doing here, Signore Misawa? You are not allowed to leave the building!" Crowler reprimanded.

Bastion had come to tell Crowler about the return of Jaden, but he wasn't sure if revealing that information was wise in the presence of these enemies. Still, he was not skilled at lying, so he just remained awkwardly silent.

"Still…" Crowler's voice softened. "You have some experience in these matters, and I could use some help. As much as I dislike to have students take part in these battles, I am not strong enough to protect you all." The last words were spoken with a hint of self-loathing that made Bastion greatly uncomfortable.

"There is no need for a battle between us. Tell us where Jamie and Mackenzie are, and in return we will protect you from Sartorius." Granmarg interjected.

"Sartorius is one man, while you are a group of spirits we have no reason to trust." Bastion said, realizing that were certainly more Monarch spirits in the city. "Beyond that, I would never sell out my comrades to people I don't know, regardless of their intentions."

"Man, what a pain in the ass…let's get these two out of the way and move on. All this talky talky is boring!" Raiza whined.

"…if it will shut you up for a while, then it could be a worthy investment. Very well. Which one do you want?" Granmarg didn't seemed too choked up that discussion failed – if the Monarchs truly were ordered to keep the peace, Bastion suspected it was an order carried out half-heartedly.

"I know the clown pisses you off, so you can have him. I'll deal with Poindexter over here." Raiza casually insulted.

Bastion and Crowler activated their duel disks. "Remember your studies, my boy. This is just another test." Crowler offered words of encouragement.

"Always, professor." Bastion's thoughts were focused on his friends, and Jasmine. _"It is not in my nature to be a hero, like Jaden. But I do have things to protect, like anyone. And more than that, I have the ability to fight to protect those things!"_

"Duel!" Crowler and Granmarg called out the beginning of combat.

"Duel!" Bastion and Raiza echoed.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

(Yugi Moto POV)

He pulled the Escalade into the driveway of Kame Game, his Grandpa's card shop and his former home. Nowadays, Yugi owned a property out on the coast and paid rent on a penthouse in Tokyo, but this place would always have a place in his heart.

Grandpa was upstairs, resting in bed while Tea was making tea in the kitchen. He never should have climbed that ladder - at his age, it was a needless risk. For Yugi, a hip fracture would be painful and arresting, but highly manageable. For Solomon, it wasn't, and Yugi wanted to be there to help aid the man who raised him in any way he could. Tea greeted him on arrival. His wife wore a jean jacket, a red top, and dark blue polka-dotted joggers – a few years ago, she made the career move to break into the fashion industry, getting a design gig for Gemini Elf, a popular brand based in Domino. Hell, she made more money than he did, depending on how many tournaments her cared to attend on a given season.

 _"And she always looks better than me, but that's no surprise."_ Yugi had never entirely outgrown his goth phase in high school, still at times wearing edgy bracelets and leather pants. "Hey honey." He stood on his tiptoes to give her a kiss on the cheek – she had always been taller than him as well.

"Hey sweetie." She reciprocated the gesture. "Did you just get back from KaibaCorp?"

"Yes, I spoke to the brothers, Headmaster Crowler, and one of Kaiba's employees."

"Need a drink? I would after talking to Seto." She said with a wry smile. Tea didn't like Kaiba much, not that he ever gave her any particular reason to like him. If she had her way, Kaiba would never have come to their wedding five years ago, but Yugi managed to persuade her in the end. For what it was worth, Kaiba took them to a luxury car dealership, gave them a blank check, and told them to pick whatever they wanted out of the lot as a wedding gift, so that made Tea rather glad she let him come after all. He also paid for the strippers at Yugi's bachelor party – now that was a hell of a night!

"No, it was a rather short talk, all things considered. He and Mokuba appear more than capable of handling the situation. I told him that taking care of Grandpa is my first priority, so I should be in for the night, unless something strange happens." Yugi went to the sink for a glass of water.

"Unless something strange happens." Tea repeated. "How many times have those words been a prelude to some misadventure? There's never a dull moment with you, Yugi." She handed him the hot teacup. "He might be sleeping, but if not, have him drink this with his pills."

"Right, will do." Yugi slipped off his shoes and went upstairs, carefully handling the cup. Quietly, he opened the door to find his grandfather in bed, the room silent other than the low hum of the humidifier.

"Yugi!" Solomon Moto's tired face lit up at the sight of his beloved grandson. Yugi was the only one around to take care of him, since neither of his parents wanted anything to do with them. Yugi tried calling his father after he won the 1999 world championship, but apparently the man changed his phone number and address somewhere along the way. Yugi had no clue if the guy was even alive, and he didn't want to know. His mother had met someone new and lived with him now. Yugi never saw much of her either. He tried not to think of them too much, but in moments like this, the emotions began to rise towards the surface again.

"Hey, grandpa!" He leaned in to gently hug his aged caretaker. "I brought you some tea. Have you taken your medication yet today?"

"No, no I haven't." Solomon said. His memory problems being what they are, Yugi relied on Tea to keep track of when Grandpa took his pills. He asked anyways just to stimulate him and keep his mind active.

"Good, you weren't supposed to. You can take them in fifteen minutes. How is your hip feeling?" Yugi sat down on a chair at Solomon's bedside.

"Oh, better. What have you been up to, youngster?" Grandpa asked wearily.

"I was just talking to the Kaiba brothers, remember them?" Yugi doubted that Solomon would ever forget the man who tore up his prized Blue-Eyes White Dragon and hospitalized him. Still, Kaiba paid for that crime, and he was a different man now.

"Yes. I'm glad you made peace with that boy Seto, even if it did take a few battles for the lesson to sink in." Solomon said reflectively.

"A little mercy makes life less harsh." Was Yugi's response.

"Did he ever take my advice and get laid?"

Yugi smiled at the candor that only came with old age. "I believe he did. In fact, he applied your advice a little…overzealously." The two men shared a laugh at that.

However, a sharp, loud vice from the street interrupted their good cheer. "Yugi Moto, alleged king of games! If you're inside, come out immediately with your cards! Do it now!"

The voice startled Solomon something fierce, while Yugi's steely nerves kept him from showing too much surprise. The spiky-haired champion strode to the window, peering through the blinds to the street outside. Underneath the light stood a tall, demonic figure in jutting black armor, a russet cape flapping in the winds. Yugi recognized the look – it was the same design as the monster card Angmarl, the Fiendish Monarch.

"A duel spirit..." Yugi muttered. Duel Spirits had been his steadfast allies in the past – the spirit of Dark Magician Girl helped him awaken Timaeus during the war of the Orichalcos. He had an eternal bond with the spirit of the Pharaoh's former priest, Mahad, whose _Ba_ and _Ka_ had fused to form the spirit of the Dark Magician. He was unaccustomed to facing them on the field of battle. Hopefully he could make this quick.

"Yugi!" Tea had rushed upstairs. "There's someone outside-" She was panicking, for she did not truly understand the deeper world of dueling as he did. Yugi knew he could not afford to be afraid, not when his loved ones counted on him. He put on a determined expression to face Solomon and Tea.

"I know. I'm going to take care of it." Yugi's trusted cards were already sleeved in his duel disk. "I'm sorry about this, Grandpa."

Solomon smiled and shook his head. "Go get em, kid."

"Stay safe." Tea practically commanded.

"I will." Yugi could sense his foe's energy, and this Monarch was a petty king at best. Going out the front door, he saw the spirit's eyes follow him restlessly.

"What is the meaning of this?" Yugi demanded. "Under whose orders are you here?"

"No one ordered me to come here. I am Angmarl, the Fiend Monarch. We Monarchs have come to this city under orders from Lady Sarina of the Twin Mirrors!" The arch-demon answered with clacking, sharp teeth.

"Can't say I've ever heard the name. What would the lady Sarina have of me? I would welcome the chance to talk things out – there is no need for a battle." Yugi offered.

"Oh, I'm under orders not to fight you." Angmarl's answer surprised Yugi. "But that doesn't matter to me. For the longest time, I have been known as the weakest, most useless of the Monarchs. I cannot destroy backrow like Mobius or Granmarg, nor monsters on the field like Zaborg. I cannot force a discard like Thestalos, or banish like Caius. Everyone looks down on me and my abilities! So I will prove my worth to lady Sarina and the rest of the duel spirits by defeating you, the so-called King of Games, and show that even the weakest duel spirit is worth more than the strongest human." He ranted about his motives in a fashion Yugi was more than familiar with at this point.

Yugi was rather unimpressed with this rationale. "Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. But if you don't mind, I have to take care of my grandfather. Let me give you my email and we can find a time that works better, I'm a bit busy right now."

Angmarl tilted his head, amazed that Yugi could blow him off. He gave out a whole speech dedicated to his motive and everything! This called for drastic measures. "Don't try and feed me that crap! If you dare turn down a Monarch, then you should prepare for punishment! I will, shall we say, take care of your grandfather if that is your concern! If that is what it takes for me to gain glory, so be it!"

That was the wrong thing to say. Yugi's face darkened, and all gentleness was gone from his expression. "You don't know what you're saying. I take the safety of my family very seriously."

"Shall I make an example of them, or are you sufficiently motivated, king of games!?" Angmarl foolishly pressed.

"Yes, I think so." Yugi's tone was icy and polite as he turned on his duel disk. "By all means, take the first turn."

"I will! I'll start by playing **Upstart Goblin** , letting me draw a card while you gain 1000 life points. Then, I'll play **Terraforming** , letting me search a field spell. Then, I'll play it! Now, we step into the **Domain of the True Monarchs**!" The side street faded away into a spacious, dark and empty throne room, pale light casting through long windows.

"Then, by banishing a spell card from my graveyard, I can special summon **Spell Striker (600/200)**!" Appearing to Angmarl's field was a cutesy looking take on a Viking, the chibi warrior wearing a helm with bullish horns curving from the sides. He wore a flowing red cape and held a sparkling wand in his hands.

"But he won't be around long, because I'm going to sacrifice him for a tribute summon!" Unceremoniously and with little dramatic fanfare, Angmarl stepped onto the field. "I summon myself, **Angmarl the Fiendish Monarch (2400/1000)**!"

"As monarchs, our abilities are triggered immediately upon tribute summon! Mine allows me to banish a spell from the grave, so that I may add another copy of that spell from deck to hand! By banishing Upstart Goblin, I get another Upstart Goblin, which I'll now activate!" Angmarl drew another card while Yugi's life points rose to 6000.

"Furthermore, since a tribute summoned Monarch is on the field, Domain of the True Monarchs goes into effect. Now, as long as I am on the field, you cannot summon monsters from the extra deck. No fusions, no Synchros, no Exceeds, no nothing! Now what will you do?!" Angmarl cackled.

"I see." Yugi responded icily. "That was a wise precaution on your part. But you ought to know that I am not a man to be undone so easily as that."

"Go and try your luck then! I set two cards face-down and end my turn!" Angmarl seemingly couldn't stop laughing. "Once I have defeated you, I shall be the most legendary Monarch in existence! And without access to your extra deck, your strategy is crippled!"

Yugi drew. "I normally don't like to crush my opponents right away – it's just not my style. But circumstances being what they are, I guess I might have to make an exception."

Yugi felt the familiar building of adrenaline that came with a life-or-death duel. "The card I have drawn is **Pallidium Oracle Mahad (2500/2100)** , and when it is drawn, I can special summon it to the field." Yugi's first monster was the spitting image of the true Mahad, clad in white and gold Egyptian garb, with a mage's scepter clasped in his hands. His tanned, tattooed face was resolute.

"Not happening! I activate my trap, **Bottomless Trap Hole**! This destroys and then banishes your summoned monster!" Angmarl countered. A swirling pit of chaotic energy swallowed up Mahad quickly, but Yugi did not appear troubled by this.

"Very well. Since Mahad was destroyed, I can special summon **Dark Magician (2500/2100)** from my deck to the field." Yugi did not bother with any elaborate summoning chants or the other hallmarks of duelist pageantry – he was focused on eliminating this obstacle as soon as possible and returning to Grandpa's side. His faithful servant and ace monster silently took the field, his purple armor and green scepter and image that had been burned into the memories of thousands of young duelists that had watched Yugi duel growing up.

Without access to his extra deck, Yugi's options were admittedly limited, but he was sure he could finish this now. "I'll then play the spell **Dark Magic Attack** to destroy your remaining spells and traps." Dutifully and efficiently, Dark Magician charged a violet energy sphere at the tip of his scepter, controlling the pulsing magic with expert control. Taking aim, he swiped aside Angmarl's set card with contemptuous ease.

"Let's see…" Yugi still had four cards in hand, and they were rather conducive to a big play. "I'll then cast the **Super Soldier Ritual**." Twin chalices of flame appeared on either side of Yugi's slim frame. "By offering up monsters whose level stars are equal to eight, I can perform a ritual summon!"

In one of the cups appeared Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight, the lancer sitting atop a proud destrier. In the other goblet, there was the humble Kuriboh, one of Yugi's most enduring staples. Both came form Yugi's hand, leaving little doubt what the last card in his hand was.

"By sacrificing the level seven Swift Gaia and the level one Kuriboh, I can summon **Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier (3000/2500)**!" In a pillar of combative light and darkness energy, Yugi's ritual monster emerged wreathed in crimson energy. It bore great resemblance to the original Black Luster Soldier, as well as the infamous Envoy of the Beginning, in frame and general looks. But there was more than enough to mark the difference – his armor was bulkier than before, and glowed with a harsh red light, like a siren. His sword was longer, and each edge was serrated roughly – the blade would now rip and tear, not cut smoothly. Red tassels drifted proudly from his ornate helm.

Angmarl stood speechless. "Buh…uh…no way!" He dumbly exclaimed.

"Not much for banter, I see. At least you didn't shout out "impossible" or "this cannot be!" If I had one yen for every time I've heard such lines…but I'm sure you'd rather not hear about that." Yugi inclined his head. "Super Soldier, attack!"

The powered-up super soldier leapt skyward, his heavy armor clearly not an issue for mobility. Without any spells or traps to defend with, Angmarl's monster form was destroyed and his field was bare. **(Yugi 6000/Angmarl 3400)**

"When Super Soldier destroys a monster by battle, that monster's attack value is done to you as damage. It's rather similar to that Jaden kid's Flame Wingman, now that I think of it." Yugi stroked his chin casually as Black Luster Soldier bludgeoned Angmarl with his shield. **(Yugi 6000/Angmarl 1000)**

"With no monsters on the field, I attack with Dark Magician for game. Hey, that doesn't happen very often!" Yugi noticed while his faithful friend ended the duel on his first turn. **(Yugi 6000/Angmarl 0)**

The would-be top dog of the monarchs collapsed on the ground from the force of the Dark Magic Attack, his body smoking from the damage. He sputtered, his mind reeling from the swift defeat.

"Sorry. Like I said, this isn't usually my style, but I'm in a hurry. Maybe we can have a rematch some time, as long as you give up your evil ways." Yugi said with a casual wave as he began to turn his back on his fallen enemy. However, he paused when he noticed Angmarl's body begin to disappear into flecks of light.

"What on earth?! You didn't mention this was a shadow game!" Yugi raised his voice.

"Lady Sarina made clear the consequences of failure – our life energy is forfeit, farmed for some purpose I was never privy to. But it was a risk I was willing to take – death or glory!" Angmarl wheezed on the ground.

"You fool! Have you no regard for your own life! Don't you have anything worth protecting, anything worth carrying on for?" Yugi couldn't understand the spirit's reasoning.

"Nothing at all." Angmarl said with a hint of sadness. "But I can die satisfied, knowing that I had the chance to fight you, the strongest human…your reputation is well-earned, king of games."

Yugi looked on wistfully as his beaten foe faded away, his energy filling the air like fireflies before being whisked across the city, to some unknown end. The king knew that Angmarl would have destroyed his house and killed Tea and Grandpa if he was not there, but a part of him still had some sympathy for the spirit nonetheless. Kaiba had always accused him of having a bleeding heart, and perhaps it was true, but it was not in Yugi's nature to gloat over a defeated enemy, and a dead one even less so.

He paused for a moment before silently deactivating his duel disk and heading back inside. "That was fast." Tea smiled, her worries gone now. "I knew you could do it, babe."

He knew she still compared him to Atem in her heart – the pharoah's true name had slipped out in some very vulnerable instances, early into their relationship. Yugi tried not to think about that as much as possible. There were a lot of things he tried not to think about.

"I'm sorry about all that noise, Grandpa. I hope it didn't disturb you." Yugi nodded deferentially.

Solomon hid his pain – the battle, however brief, was stressful to him. But he smiled to his grandson nonetheless. "I love ya, Yugi." He said.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Alexis Rhodes POV)

"What's going on out there?" When Bastion didn't return for twenty minutes, the group began to worry that something dangerous was afoot. They turned off the movie and gathered their cards. Changing into street wear, they instinctively equipped their duel disk with their newly updated decks.

"Bastion hasn't come back for a while. We should go see what's going on. Something about this situation gives me a bad feeling." Jasmine said seriously – how much she had changed in the past two years. She bore little resemblance to the silly girl that Alexis went to middle school with. And yet, with the unlocking of her potential, Jasmine grew envious and grasping for power. The taste was not enough – she seemed to want more and more. Alexis knew that part of that envy was directed towards her. How would Jasmine react if she knew about her and Jamie? Another reason to keep it a secret.

"There's also Jaden and Jamie to think about." Mackenzie spoke up. "I would be happy to go for looking for them, if that works for you all." She said eagerly. It was true that Mackenzie was likely the strongest duelist of them all in the absence of Jaden and Jamie. But still, Alexis thought the request was odd. Mackenzie seemed to want something from the two missing boys – Alexis wasn't sure what exactly it was, but she didn't like it nonetheless. Still, to refuse her would be to reveal her mistrust openly, and that could be costly.

"Thank you, Mackenzie. We'd all be glad to see them safe. But the city is full of unknown dangers, too much for one person. I'd feel better if you had some friends with you." _Preferably ones I can trust_ , Alexis thought.

"I'll go with!" Atticus' ears perked up like a dog's at the idea of accompanying Mackenzie. "There might be some trouble out there if Duel Spirits are involved." Doubtless he was planning on getting into some trouble of his own with Mackenzie, but that was none of Alexis' concern. After all, it would be hypocritical of her to criticize a secret tryst. Still, it would be better to send someone to actually keep the mission on track.

"Kenzan, I hate to ask, but would you be alright with going out as well?" Alexis asked the buff Ra Yellow.

"Yes, ma'am." Kenzan agreed immediately. Out of everyone in the group, he was the most comfortable with taking orders and probably had the least capacity for scheming. "I'll utilize my search and rescue operations to recover the Sarge."

Alexis nodded, granting him a smile. The rest of them would look around the hotel for Bastion and Crowler and go from there.

"I'm going as well." Jasmine spoke up in a strident tone. "The chances of an enemy appearing are extremely high, with the possible presence of duel spirits along with Aster and Sartorius lurking around. It's a better idea to divide our strength more evenly. Mackenzie, Atticus, Kenzan and I will go out while you, Erin, Syrus and Adam will look around here. When you find Bastion and Crowler, your position will be further solidified – there's no need for me to stay here when I could be more useful out there. Perhaps Professor Hibiki could help as well, if a big battle is at hand." Jasmine outlined her reasoning. She neglected to mention Professor Sartyr, as everyone knew he wasn't worth jack shit in a duel.

Something about the notion made Alexis uncomfortable, but she decided to trust her once-best friend. "Alright, Jazz. Just be careful." The ice queen of Obelisk Blue sighed.

"Thanks, Lex." Jasmine smiled.

"Man, talk about a pain in the ass…can't we ever do anything fun without some crazy shit going down?" Adam complained, tugging at the collar of his Supreme hoodie.

"I suppose not. You people have a knack for getting into these sorts of situations, I must say. By the way Adam, you never told us the story about what happened with that duel spirit you encountered this summer." Mackenzie commented idly.

He shrugged carelessly. "Some other time, maybe."

"Let's go, everyone!" Alexis led the group of eight into the night.

XxXxxXxxXxXxXxXxX

(Bastion Misawa POV)

He and Crowler stood, facing the wind and the earth. Although they were two separate duels, he was close enough to overhear the battle between Crowler and Granmarg, even as he focused on facing Raiza.

Bastion won the roshambo and elected to go first. "I'll set two cards face-down and summon **Mathematician (1500/500)** in attack mode!" To Bastion's field appeared a wizened gnome with a snowy beard taller than he was, the braided ends trailing on the ground.

"When this card is summoned, I can send a level four or lower monster from my deck to the graveyard." Bastion explained. "I'll end my turn with that."

"Our intel said you were a bit of an egghead, Misawa, but playing a card literally called Mathematician…I mean, come on! Isn't that a bit on the nose!?" Raiza taunted. Bastion did not react – he was used to people mocking him for his love of learning and knowledge, and it would not throw him off his game.

"Alright, calculate this! I cast the quick-play spell **The Monarchs Stormforth**!" The wind picked up into a gust, although luckily Bastion's hair always looked like it was in a wind tunnel, so at least that wasn't a problem. "This spell allows me to use one of your monsters as a tribute this turn, at the cost of preventing me from summoning from the extra deck for the rest of the turn." Of course, Raiza's extra deck only had a few cards in it, and Bastion deduced that they were probably Instant Fusion targets or something unessential to his opponent's overall strategy.

"Then, I'll play the continuous spell **March of the Monarchs**! As logn as this is on the field, tribute summoned monsters I control cannot be targeted or destroyed by card effects! Now, I'll sacrifice your Mathematician to tribute summon the king of the four winds! Lord of the hawks, the insects, of all creatures whose wings are borne on the sky! I summon **Raiza the Storm Monarch (2400/1000)**!" The green-armored warrior took the field, his voice clear and breezy over the roaring winds.

"Weren't you just accusing my cards of being on the nose? At least I didn't summon myself in attack mode." Bastion muttered wryly, wondering what his card effect would be.

"When I am tribute summoned, I can place one card on your field on the top of your deck! I choose the set card on your left!" It was a powerful effect, since not only was a card removed from the field, Bastion's next draw was essentially nullified as well. However, Bastion was ready to act in response.

"I'll chain the face-down **Twin Twisters** you targeted! By discarding a card, I can destroy up to two spells or traps on the field. However, since you only have one, I'll settle for destroying March of the Monarchs!" Bastion countered, meeting his foe's gales with powerful winds of his own. More importantly, since Twin Twisters resolved, it would go to the graveyard rather than the top of his deck.

"Okay smartass," Raiza's temper briefly flared at his move being matched, "I'll just launch a direct attack!" Slicing blades of wind sent Bastion spiraling to the ground, and the acute pain made him realize that this was a game of death. The idea would have scared the wits out of him a year ago, but now he was successful in keeping his stiff upper lip. **(Bastion 1600/Raiza 4000)**

"I set a card face-down and end my turn. That won't be the last time you'll be eating pavement, nerd!" Raiza ended.

Bastion felt more comfortable now his preconceived notions of his opponent's strategy proved correct. These duel spirits were exactly what met the eye, to their peril.

"I believe I've figured this problem out! All that's left is to show my work!" Bastion said as he drew. "I'll start by summoning **Mathmech Subtra (1000/1000)**!" Bastion's next monster was a rusty red mech wielding a long sword sideways. "I can special summon this monster from my hand by targeting a monster on the field – then, 1000 attack points are subtracted from that monster's attack total! However, Subtra cannot attack the turn I use this effect." With a single swipe of the blade, Bastion's monster weakened Raiza down to 1400 attack points. However, that was still strong enough to swing over Subtra.

"Still too weak-" Raiza began before Bastion cut him off. "You villains should wait until my turn is over before judging it! I cast the spell **Mathmech Formula**! This lets me summon a Mathmech monster from my graveyard and boost its attack points by 1000 until the end of the turn! Now, I'll summon the monster I sent to the graveyard for the cost of Twin Twister – **Mathmech Addion (1000/1000)**!"

This was a mech as well, and similar in color to Subtra. The difference was in its posture – while Subtra hunched and leaned, this creature stood up straight. Its sword had a wide guard that brought to mind a plus sign – clearly, the symbolism in the card's design was exceedingly subtle.

"Now, I'll attack with Mathmech Addion!" The straight-backed robot raised his two-handed greatsword, digital pixels of fire trailing from its edge. It took a heavy swing at the weakened Raiza.

"As if! I activate **Escalation of the Monarchs**! This continuous trap allows me to tribute summon monsters during your turn!" An energy sphere formed in Raiza's hand, blocking the sword strike. As the blade grinded against the sphere, Raiza's form began to shift. He grew taller, bulker, more imposing.

"I summon **Raiza the Mega Monarch (2800/1000)**!" Raiza now hulked far above Bastion and his two monsters, looming down at him like a golem.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

(Vellian Crowler POV)

Crowler had the second turn, although Granmarg was taking such a long time making his move Crowler wondered if he would ever actually get to play. He knew that Granmarg was considered the monarch of earth and stone – he certainly had the speed befitting a rock. This was why official tournaments had time limits.

"…I set two cards and end my turn." Granmarg finally decided.

"You would have to move faster than that to excel in my class, monarch!" Crowler said snappishly. "Now, take in this lesson, free of charge! I summon **Ancient Gear Wyvern (1700/1200)**!" Like all Ancient Gear monsters, this lesser dragon was built from old steel and spinning cogs, self-sufficient despite the seemingly aged technology it was built with. "When this monster is summoned, I can add an Ancient Gear card from deck to hand." Crowler quickly thumbed through his deck, careful not to break a nail of course.

"The card I added is **Ancient Gear Box (500/2000)**. When it's added, I can add another Earth Machine with 500 or less attack points to my hand." Gaining another search, this time Crowler retrieved **Ancient Gear Gadget (500/2000)** , accumulating hand advantage.

"Now, I'll play **Ancient Gear Fusion**! By fusing together Ancient Gear Box and Gadget in my hand, I can summon this!" Gears, cogs, wires and plates crashed together in a cacophonic typhoon, the all-too-real sound of metal on metal causing Crowler's sensitive ears to ring. He clasped his hands together tightly.

"Fusion summon! **Ancient Gear Howitzer (1000/1800)** in defense mode!" Skeletal wings of iron lead to a bipedal mech with multiple cannons extending from its sides. Despite its low attack value, the card was completely unaffected by other cards, an immunity few cards in the game could boast even in the new frontier.

"Once per turn, Howitzer lets me deal 1000 points of damage to you directly!" Crowler wasted no time. The effect was absurdly powerful with only 4000 life points allotted to each player. Such effects were becoming more common in the wider dueling world, and Crowler would be very surprised if the life point total wasn't raised sometime in the near future. For now though, Crowler was going to take full advantage of it and step on the gas. The beast shot six cannonballs upon the monarch, causing Granmarg to stumble back. **(Crowler 4000/Granmarg 3000)**

"…I see, your cards indeed have become more powerful. I wonder if this was the work of the Unseeable Ones…." Granmarg pondered.

 _"The Unseeable Ones?"_ Crowler had never heard that term, despite his recent exposure to the shadowy vernacular of prophecy. _"Surely he means Aster and the Slacker – hey, that could be a good name for a comedy duo – but I have never heard of that moniker before. Still, it is not as if I can ask him who he means – the term Unseeable Ones implies a certain lack of knowledge."_

"Whomever's work it was, it's your problem now." Crowler said, entering the battle phase.

"At the beginning of the battle phase, I'll activate my trap card, **The First Monarch (1000/2400)**." A shadowy creature vaguely in the shape of Granmarg's body slowly assembled its body from nothingness, misty like a wraith. "This is a trap monster, providing me with defense." The timing of the activation was necessarily awkward – Granmarg could not have activated it upon Crowler's offense, due to the Ancient Gear's common ability to ignore spells and traps when attacking. Nevertheless, Crowler was forced to back off.

"Very well, then. Turn end." Crowler wasn't allowed to set any cards due to using Ancient Gear Wyvern's effect.

"Draw." Granmarg again was ponderously considering his next move. Crowler wondered if this was some sort of tactic to scare him. As if! Nothing could scare him so easily…well, except spiders. And needles. And bees. Insects in general, really. Oh, and he hated heights. Other than that, nerves of steel!

"I activate the continuous spell **Return of the Monarchs**. Then, I shall set a card. Then…I shall offer The First Monarch as a tribute." The shadowy emperor drew closer to Granmarg, closer, closer…until it merged and become one with the mighty duel spirit. "I summon **Granmarg the Rock Monarch (2400/1000)**." His gauntlets swayed heavily as he took the field.

"And since I tribute summoned, the effect of my continuous spell activates, letting me add a monster with 2800 attack points and 1000 defense points with the same attribute as the summoned monster." Even if the searching pool weren't ridiculously small, Crowler could guess what he searched. He was the headmaster of the largest Duel Acadmey on the planet – he knew the extent of the new card pool better than most. It had taken up so much of his time these past few weeks, he was beginning to see cards in his sleep.

"And when Granmarg is summoned, you can destroy a set card, yes yes." Crowler said drolly. "And since the only set card here is your own, I take it you gain some kind of advantage from destroying it."

"I suppose a professor like yourself doesn't need to have his hand held. Yes, you are correct. I destroy my own set trap, **Wild Tornado**. When it's destroyed, I can destroy a face-up card on the field." Pointing at Ancient Gear Wyvern, Crowler's draconic machine was swept away in a sudden gale of wind, although it was nothing compared to the vortex Bastion and Raiza were currently battling in.

 _"Fight on, boy. I swear if you win this you'll be putting on a bloody blue coat whether you want it or not."_ Crowler was well aware that he was despised by the majority of the student body, even his favored Obelisk Blues thinking themselves better and smarter than him. That was all fine by him – Crowler had never been much liked in his entire life, which in some ways prepared him for leadership. Leaders had to be ready to take shit from the people following them. That was something the constantly appeasing Sheppard never understood. A leader had to act, and all action was open to criticism, especially by the smart-mouthed little twats that were his students. If he started second-guessing himself…that would mean death in both his career and literally in battle.

"I'll end my turn with one more set card." Granmarg said. "I know what that beast of yours does upon destruction. It summons another Ancient Gear monster, regardless of its summoning conditions."

"Hmph, so it does." Crowler sniffed. Granmarg was clearly a cautious player. That wouldn't get him far against Crowler. Perhaps he would have fared better against Bastion, another deliberate player, but Ancient Gears were good at breaking through defenses. It was against aggressive opponents who could summon strong monsters that the deck struggled. _"That was the lesson the slacker taught me, that day at the entrance exams."_ It seemed like a lifetime ago.

 _"I cannot die here. Someone needs to oversee Jaden's detentions when he returns!"_

"I draw. And since my turn has rolled around again, I'll use Ancient Gear Howitzer's effect to burn for another thousand points!" The cannons boomed again, denting the foe's brown armor. **(Granmarg 2000/Crowler 4000)**

If his monster lasted two more turns, then victory would be assured. He didn't have a way to swing over Granmarg, so Crowler was forced to sit on his haunches for the time being. "I play the spell Fusion Conscription. By revealing a fusion monster in my extra deck, this lets me add one of the fusion monster's materials from deck to hand. I reveal Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem, allowing me to add Ancient Gear Golem to my hand. Apart from that, I'll set a card and end my turn."

The game was turning out to be a bit of a grinder – Granmarg didn't want to attack Ancient Gear Howitzer, while Crowler currently couldn't swing over the monarch. Granmarg drew. "I play **Card of Sanctity** , allowing us to draw until we have six cards in hand each. Then, I'll play **Pantheism of the Monarchs**! By sending a Monarch spell or trap from my hand to the graveyard, I get to draw two more cards!" Granmarg now had tremendous hand advantage over Crowler.

Granmarg then set an additional card. "From my hand, my field spell activates! Go, **Domain of the True Monarchs**!" The two duelists were ensconced in a dark castle with high walls and long windows, the same surroundings that Yugi and Angmarl were currently in. "Now, since I have no monsters in my extra deck and I'm the only one in control of a tribute summoned monster, you can no longer summon from your extra deck!"

"Now, I sacrifice Granmarg to summon forth **Granmarg the Mega Monarch (2800/1000)**!" Granmarg was already the largest of the Monarchs, but his mega evolution caused him to surpass even the likes of Ancient Gear Golem in height. Now, he was even rivaling the size of the hotel building. His gauntlets had grown comically large, and a violet kilt-cape flowed from his hip.

"When this card is summoned, I can destroy up to two set cards on the field! I'll destroy both mine and yours!" One of Granmarg's fists swing down, flattening his own set card – however, Crowler activated his own set card before it could be destroyed.

"Activate reverse card, **Ancient Gear Reborn**!" The headmaster could do nothing with the continuous trap for now, but having it flipped up was better than letting it be destroyed.

Granmarg inclined his head, acknowledging the move. "Be that as it may, my own set card activates upon destruction – the trap card **Dark Coffin**! When this card is destroyed, you may choose one of these effects to trigger. You must either discard a random card in your hand, or you must destroy a monster on your field."

Crowler had no choice but to discard a random card since his only monster, Howitzer, was unaffected by all other card effects. "And since I tribute summoned again, I get another search off of Return of the Monarchs. Furthermore, Mega Granmarg allows me to draw a card after successfully resolving its effect." Granmarg again weighed his options before continuing. "Now, I'll attack your Ancient Gear Howitzer!"

 _"He should have done that from the beginning."_ Crowler thought as the massive fist smashed his machine like a child would smash his father's carefully built model train set. He was beginning to suspect that Granmarg filled the dumb muscle mandate of this particular group of minions. If he just destroyed Howitzer last turn, he would have an extra thousand life points and otherwise be in the same situation. Perhaps he was hoping to draw something useful this turn and it didn't happen.

"When Howitzer is destroyed, I can summon any Ancient Gear monster from my deck!" The shattered cogs and metal began reforming, quickly growing larger and more elaborate. Eventually, great wings formed out of bent rebar, and a maw filled with fangs made out of drill bits soon followed.

"I summon **Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon (3000/3000)**!" Crowler declared, the titanic steel beast facing down an enormous armored warrior – it looked like some sort of Steampunk monster movie.

"Not quite! I play my face-down card, **Black Horn of Heaven**! This trap negates your special summon and destroys your monster!" The dark sound caused the hulking dragon to break apart as fast as it had been built, leaving Crowler's field relatively empty.

"Then, I'll play **Mystical Space Typhoon** to destroy your Ancient Gear Reborn!" Now Crowler's field was actually empty, instead of relatively empty. Granmarg ended his turn, and Crowler was facing down a titan with nothing to defend himself with.

XxXxxXxXxXxxx

(Bastion Misawa POV)

Glancing towards Crowler's battle, Bastion saw that he was facing down a Mega Monarch as well, the two monsters equal in height, power and presence.

"When Raiza the Mega Monarch is summoned, I can bounce two cards on the field – one to the top of the deck, and one to your hand! Go, slicing winds!" Raiza called out.

"I'll lose if I let that go through!" Bastion thought, panicked. "I chain my trap, **Breakthrough Skill**! This negates your monster's effect until the end of the turn!" An energy barrier formed around Raiza, preventing the winds from getting anywhere and eventually causing them to peter out. However, Bastion's attack was effectively done for the turn.

"Hey, Bastion!" Jasmine's voice called out to him from behind. Under the gateway canopy stood his flame, along with three friends – Mackenzie, Kenzan and Atticus. "We figured something was up after you didn't come back for a while. Plus, these guys are hard to miss." She gestured to the gargantuan monarchs with a laugh.

"We're heading out to find the Sarge – Jaden, that is." Kenzan explained. "And Jamie as well. We figure there are other spirits out there, and probably that troublemaker Phoenix and his manager. We're supplying backup."

"Plus, there's something exciting about the city at night! Who knows what sort of fun we'll find!" Atticus wiggled his eyebrows at Mackenzie, whose gaze was focused on the KaibaCorp headquarters in the distance.

Bastion sighed. He knew most of his friends were free spirits who did as they wished. He remembered Jamie's implacable desire to fight Zane during the first week on campus. In truth, he found it hard to relate to such whims at times – if they were fire, he was clay, useful and versatile, but lacking the romantic appeal of the flames. But in a fight, he could be as fierce as any fire – he would prove that now!

"Did you add those side deck options we spoke about?" Bastion asked. After her ill-fated match against Jamie, Bastion and Jasmine went back to the drawing board and tweaked her Six Samurai build some. For what it was worth, he tried to stay out of that little drama – he did not want to pick a side between any of his friends, but especially not between his girlfriend and Jamie, his old roommate. Of course she wanted to hear him support her and talk shit about Jamie, but he refused. She was angry with him at the time, but it appeared she was over it now…

"Yeah, for sure babe!" Jasmine smiled at him, making him more nervous. "We'll be alright, we've all been in these kind of battles before. Well, except for you I guess, Mackenzie."

Mackenzie looked to be suppressing a laugh. "I am lucky to have such formidable companions by my side. We'll find Jaden in no time." Something in the way she said that made Bastion's skin crawl, but he had no more time to think on it.

"Hurry up and end your turn, egghead! We ain't got all day!" Raiza barked.

Bastion glanced angrily at his foe before speaking to his friends. "I've got this. You all don't do anything crazy."

"Good luck!" Jasmine ran over and gave him a kiss on the cheek before the four of them ran off.

"Hey, get back here you hooligans! You're all getting write-ups for this!" He could hear Crowler shouting ineffectually after the group of retreating students.

Bastion briefly smiled before fully turning his attention back to the fight. "During my main phase two, I overlay the level four Addion with the level four Subtra to perform an Exceed summon!"

The two mechs took on the form of starlight, red bleeding into purple as the Overlay Network was constructed. Through the pathway emerged a robot in black and gold circuitry, wielding a double-bladed cleaving lance with serrated edges. "Appear, Rank 4 **Batch Mathmech d'Alembertain (2000/0)**!"

"Hmph!" Raiza sneered, as clearly this new creature wasn't strong enough to challenge his Mega form.

"When this monster is successfully summoned, I can detach two of its materials to search a Mathmech card from my deck and add it to my hand. I'll set that card and end my turn!" Bastion finished.

"You clearly aren't one of the duelists Lady Sarina is searching for, so I'm not having any fun with this. I'm going to finish this as soon as I get the chance!" Raiza sneered.

Bastion thought the words familiar, and he knew why – most of Jaden's opponents said such things to him, precluding a sudden reversal on Jaden's part that usually won him the duel. Bastion hoped that such luck would befall him this time, although he would never admit to fortune holding sway over his life.

"Now, begone! I attack your Mathmech d'whatever the fuck with storming impact!" Winds swirled around the oncoming fist, and surprisingly, Bastion did not activate his set card, instead letting his monster get destroyed. The winds pushed him back, causing him to brace against the walls of the hotel. **(Bastion 800/Raiza 4000)**

"If only I had another monster in my hand…oh well, I'll just make sure to end this next turn!" Raiza finished.

"Argh…" Bastion struggled, the wind knocked out of him. But nonetheless, he was satisfied, for he was sure that he could finish this with the tools he had now.

"I draw." Perfect! Perhaps a bit of luck would help this formula work out, as oxymoronic as that sounded. "I play **Foolish Burial** , allowing me to send a monster from my deck to the graveyard. Then, I'll activate my face-down card, **Mathmech Superfactorial**!"

Teal light streamed from the sky, holographic binary numbers raining down. Chains of yellow circuit lines met to form a triangle around the portal. "This card lets me summon up to three Mathmech monsters from the graveyard to use for either a Synchro or an Exceed summon!"

At each point of the triangle appeared a monster – there was Mathmech Addion, Subtra, as well as a new creature made of relflective black and gold surfacing. "Along with my two previous monsters, I have the tuner monster **Mathmech Nabla (1000/1500)**. With each monster having four stars, I can tune them together for a level twelve synchro summon!"

The three monsters at each point of the triangle burned up in a sudden conflagration of digital fire, synthetically red and orange. Emerging from the three-pronged portal was a white and red mecha robot with a cape fluttering behind it like wings. It wielded a thin saber wreathed in that same, strange cybernetic fire, the blazing sword leaving no smoke or smell behind it. "I synchro summon **Flame Mathmech Final Sigma (3000/0)**!" Bastion declared, feeling a sudden lashing of pain at the effort required to successfully call forth the monster. Something about Synchro and Exceed summons were painful, though not life-threatening. It was like a hidden price tag attached to the power. Still, he had no choice if he wanted to win.

Raiza balked at the new adversary. "A level twelve should be a bit stronger than that! I still have all of my life points, there's no way that thing could beat me!"

"While this is the only monster from the extra deck on my field, it is unaffected by all cards, except Mathmech cards. Furthermore, all battle damage done by battle with a monster is doubled." Bastion explained, going over it like it was a subject in class.

"Ooh, that makes it 400 points of damage instead of 200! Big number!" Raiza couldn't ever seem to shut his mouth.

"Your math is correct, but there is an unknown variable you couldn't have considered – the last card in my hand, the equip spell **Mathmech Divider Nayuta**!" The thin sword suddenly grew bulkier, a serrated attachment latching onto the blade. "Now, I attack!"

"What does that do?" Raiza yelled.

"When a Mathmech monster attacks, I can send another Mathmech from my deck to the graveyard, allowing me to add the sent monster's attack value to Final Sigma's. I'll choose to send **Mathmech Multiplier (500/2000)** , increasing Final Sigma to 3500!" Bastion roared as his monster's flames grew more intense. But he wasn't done – he still needed more power in order to finish the job.

"And as you might expect, Mathmech Multiplier has an effect when it hits the graveyard! Until the end of this turn, I can double one of my monster's attack points until the end of the turn! Final Sigma, rise to 7000!" Bastion's masterstroke was finished, and the flames were everywhere now, enveloping and fanning the winds into a fiery typhoon, with the two duelists at the center. Higher and higher the orange cyclone spun as Final Sigma raised its sword.

"A fire tornado? This is fuckin' awesome!" Raiza had to admit it, even as he knew defeat was certain.

"Not bad for an egghead, eh? Final Sigma, attack with Boosted Gear!" Bastion made the final push.

"BOOST!" The fiery sword cleaved Mega Raiza apart, dealing 8200 points of damage in one fell swoop. **(Bastion 800/Raiza 0)**

"I keep telling people math is fun." Bastion said to no one in particular as the fire tornado eventually subsided, and his foe fell to his knees.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

(Vellian Crowler POV)

This draw needed to count. He might have had untouched life points, but Crowler knew that the number of life points truly mattered very little in a duel compared to factors such as card advantage. If there was a card that let a duelist draw three cards at the expense of reducing their life points to 100, Industrial Illusions wouldn't be able to print it fast enough to match demand. But he digressed.

With that Domain field spell in play, fusion was no longer a viable tactic, so he would have to rely on something that would let him summon a powerful monster from the main deck. With only one card in hand, this needed to work.

"Draw!" He had the right cards, now he just needed to hope his opponent didn't have any negations to use. "I play **Terraforming** , allowing me to add my own field spell from deck to hand! Now, we'll step into my arena! I activate **Geartown**!"

The rulings still only allowed one field spell to be in play at a time, although Crowler suspected that would be changed in due time since so many decks now had field spells essential to their strategy. For now though, it served his purpose well, the dark throne room shattered and replaced with a bustling metropolis made of rusty metal cogs, screws, bolts and gears. In some ways it was Crowler's response to Skyscraper, one of his most hated field spells in the game after his first duel with Jaden. With Domain gone, Crowler could summon from the extra deck, although he didn't plan to.

"Now, since I have no monsters on the field, I can play this! **Ancient Gear Catapult**! By destroying a face-up card I control, I can summon an Ancient Gear monster from my deck, regardless of its summoning conditions!" The buildings and structures of Geartown fell apart, reforming again into what was surely a familiar sight for any student of Central Duel Academy – an iron golem with a single glowing red eye.

"My students affectionately refer to this card as "the big bitch". Now, you'll see why! Step forward, **Ancient Gear Golem (3000/3000)**!" Crowler didn't realize that the students weren't being affectionate when they called it that, but that was neither here nor there. Around the golem swirled another helter-skelter collection of parts. "And when Geartown is destroyed, I'm allowed to summon another Ancient Gear from the graveyard. Welcome back, Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon!" The metallic dragon hovered next to the golem, the two beasts looking down at Granmarg the Mega Monarch.

"How…you weren't known to have this level of strength! You were an afterthought, a bad joke! Why, you even dress like a clown!" Granmarg stuttered in disbelief.

"Perhaps your assumption would have been true before, but I have learned much in these past battles, just as my students have. After all, a teacher must devote himself to learning over a lifetime if he is to educate others, not just the span of his education. You see, that is the difference between humans and duel spirits – we learn, we improvise, we adapt, and we overcome. You, on the other hand, are as cunning as a stone, and twice as predictable. Really, the duel spirit of a monarch playing a monarch deck…even Jaden Yuki could have read your strategy like a book!" To punctuate this point, Ancient Gear Golem's ultimate pound smashed into Mega Granmarg's face, sending the foe reeling. **(Crowler 4000/Granmarg 1800)**

"You duel spirits may have powers we lack, and strength we lack…but when you come to face a human in battle, you had best finish what you start, for if you don't, we'll learn a way to beat you! Take this lesson to the afterlife!" Ancient Gear Reactor Dragon beat down the petty king with a swipe of its tail, leaving an outline of the monarch's body in the cement. **(Crowler 4000/Granmarg 0)**

The two monarchs were laid low, Raiza on one knee and Granmarg flat on his back. Finally, Crowler's single-minded focus on the battle subsided, and to his shame he just now turned his attention back to Bastion. The boy indeed had succeeded in claiming victory, though it appeared to have been a harder-fought battle on his end. Crowler supposed he should make good on his internal promise and see the boy raised to the Blues, but there would be time for that later.

"Signore Misawa, are you alright?" He made his way over. Bastion looked a bit sore, and he moved slowly and gingerly, but didn't seem too hurt.

"Yes, Professor. My apologies for not stopping Jasmine and the others." Bastion said in a wearied voice.

"It was not your responsibility. We teachers have a hard enough time trying to rein you in, we wouldn't ask it of you. You did your job, clearly." Crowler gestured to the fallen foes. "Now then, the truth. You both spoke of a Lady Sarina sending you. Who is Lady Sarina, and what does she want? Does she have any relations to Aster Phoenix or Sartorius?"

"Lady Sarina is…" Granmarg began.

"Don't tell them nothin', blockhead." Raiza cut his foolish companion off. "We got our jobs done too, clownface."

"Oh? Your jobs were to get beaten? Surely such esteemed kings like yourselves can find less degrading work." Crowler replied, although his gears were spinning. The monarchs somehow completed their jobs, despite losing? What was their purpose if not to kill him and the students?

"The twin mirrors…" Bastion said, his gaze drawn to something in the air. Looking up, Crowler saw two of them, looking glasses peering down at the results of the battle. In the mirrors was a woman, black of hair and lilac of eye, her robes clean and white.

"Misawa and Crowler…I confess I was hoping to follow more interesting characters." She said with a knowing smile. "But at least I can confirm that neither of you two are at risk."

"At risk? What do you mean by that?" Bastion demanded. This must have been the Lady Sarina the monarchs spoke of.

"Nothing. I apologize for this inconvenience, but it appears you two acquitted yourself well against my men. I mean to apply a similar test to two more students. Would you happen to know were the ones known as Jamie Lancaster or Reggie Mackenzie are?" Sarina asked as if she were a neighbor requesting a cup of sugar.

As it so happened, neither Crowler nor Bastion knew the precise location of the two students in question, but they of course would not have answered anyways. Staying silent, they forced Sarina to continue, "You do not. Unfortunate, but this city is only so large, and I will find them one way or another. It is imperative to act quickly. Have a pleasant evening, gentlemen." Again, she was oddly polite. The mirrors glowed, and somehow the two monarchs were absorbed into them, the forms twisting and stretching like water going down a drain. The mirrors then disappeared in a deceiving glimmer of light, leaving Bastion and Crowler in confusion.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **This is a case where the release of cards in real life has benefitted my writing, as for a long time I wasn't sure which cards to give Bastion after the blast wave hit, but these new Mathmech (or Zanki as they're known in Japan) cards made the decision quite easy. They are not original cards made by me (I have no talent for such things) and they are not anime-exclusive (I generally do not use anime only cards with some exceptions like Card of Sanctity. Card of Sanctity does exist irl but it's trash so I don't count it), they were just announced like a month ago in the OCG, and luckily they are not really a link-based archetype, so I felt comfortable using them. There is some slight re-wording required with some of their effects since they refer to an "Extra Monster Zone" which does not exist in this story, so I took the liberty of interpreting it as being the only monster summoned from the extra deck on the field. They don't really fit Bastion's playstyle since they're kind of a simple OTK/battle-themed deck that doesn't really require much thinking, but still, the general idea of them fit Bastion's character. While I try to treat the characters fairly, I as always will make no secret of the fact that I am shilling for Bastion since he was treated maliciously by the canon material.**

 **I also thought it would be nice to give Crowler a W. I like to characterize these characters a little differently due to the fact that this is an alternate timeline of sorts from the original GX, and for Crowler this means getting him out of the ineffectual comic relief villain role he is boxed into, which is always nice. It's tough to balance this many characters but I thought I'd give the character some shine for a change. Crowler is also less silly here due to the fact that Kaiba is breathing down his neck pretty much all the time lol. Speaking of Kaiba I wonder how he is doing against Sartorius…?**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed Yugi's first "duel" of the story, as you can see it was a tremendous challenge for him. I also hope you found valuable the further insight into his motivations – he is very focused on family and wants peace and simplicity, and he would really rather stay out of this whole affair and leave it to Kaiba. Whether that will happen remains to be seen.**

 **We are also coming up on State of the Meta's second anniversary, on August 20th! Thanks for supporting this story this long and here's to another great year! I'll see ya next time.**


	48. IF YOU'RE READING THIS CARD EFFECT

Chapter 48: ...IT'S TOO LATE

(Reggie Mackenzie POV)

She couldn't believe those idiots were dumb enough to let her out of the hotel. Now, as soon as she lost her "honor guard", she would have the chance to track down Jaden and relieve him of his Winged Kuriboh. Then, the two sides of Ma'at would be gathered. Even better, she had a ready-made excuse for the boy's death that she lacked before – Aster Phoenix or these Monarch duel spirits would make fine scapegoats. All she had to do is lose the dead weight sent with her by Alexis Rhodes and everything else would fall into place.

Said dead weight consisted of Dino DNA memelord Tyranno Kenzan, the seething, envious Jasmine Makurada, and finally the lovesick twat Atticus Rhodes, whose voice reminded her unpleasantly of Sonic the Hedgehog. Oh, he wasn't bad to look at, but she failed to see this infamous charm that he was apparently reputed to have. And yet, she sensed a bizarre energy from him, or at least from one of his cards – it was deep, dark and old, even older than the likes of Winged Kuriboh and Tragodeia. But Atticus showed no such power when she saw him duel, so it was easy for her to dismiss him.

They made their way to the Grand Kuriboh Hotel, weaving through throngs of people and seemingly unending lines of cars in the heart of town. As an American familiar with the greater Los Angeles area, Mackenzie knew how to walk in a big city and how to deal with traffic the best, so she lead the group, looking for some way to give them the slip all the while.

"Keep an eye out for the Sarge and Jamie." Kenzan needlessly reminded them. However, at least his short interjections were preferable to Atticus' ceaseless prattling.

"So then, like, our uncle was pulling us behind his boat on a tube, and he made a super sharp turn so we were like woah, and he was like oh yeah, I just did that, and then we both went flying into the water, and I was like oh man, that just happened –" Atticus was regaling some childhood story to Jasmine, who was listening while her eyes darted to and fro on the busy street.

Deciding to stir the pot a little, Mackenzie leaned over and spoke to Jasmine, "So, I heard you were dueling mister Lancaster just the other day. He's a skilled fighter, isn't he?" She probed.

Predictably, Jasmine grew defensive. "Tricky is the better word for it. He was playing a deck that was made to hard counter mine. Where he learned to play in such a way, I have no idea."

"Indeed, I wonder where he learned that from as well." Mackenzie agreed. Of course, Jamie was merely using basic prediction and logic to prepare for Jasmine's strategy – any American duelist from back home would have done the same. However, Central Academy and Obelisk Blue in particular had bizarre notions of what dueling should be. Their idea of honor seemed extremely close to stupidity in her outsider's opinion. She expected some cultural differences between the schools, but Mackenzie had no idea that everyone around here expected a duelist's cards to neatly correlate with their personality, aesthetic and motivations! She amused herself imagining whoever's personality matched with Exodia Stall or Chain Burn. In any case, the notion was untrue as it related to her, for she was no angel.

"How fares the Obelisk Force otherwise?" She added.

"It's been alright. Erin has really been running most of the meetings lately, it seems. Alexis always seems busy with something, and Jamie claims to have a lot of work for mister Kaiba to do." Atticus said. "I wonder what sort of work he's doing."

 _"He's fucking your sister, that's what sort of work he's doing, as you're well aware."_ Mackenzie desperately wanted to say it aloud just to see the look on his face. _"Yes, I know about your little entertainment habit, Atticus."_ The three of them made for quite the comedy, albeit a raunchy one. It almost seemed like Alexis wanted to be caught at times. She could be so reckless. Behind the lighthouse, in the woods, in the dorms – it was as if she had a checklist of places she meant to tick off before the year was out. Considering how cautious and sensible Alexis was in the other areas of her life, Mackenzie found this deceit delightfully charming. And Jamie, for all of his supposed cunning, was equally heedless in this matter. He didn't seem as enthusiastic about it as her, but he went along with it anyways. The true spice, though, was Atticus, who always seemed to know where they were and always seemed to have his camera on hand, ready for filming unbeknownst to the lovers. Part of her wondered to what use he was putting the film, but even her sensibilities shuddered at the implications. Besides, at the end of the day it was banal amusement, nothing more. Jamie would die soon, either by her hand or by this prophet Sartorius, and the matter would be moot. She supposed it could be used as leverage over the Rhodes siblings, although she had no doubt she could destroy either of them by force if needs be.

Kenzan, who was blissfully ignorant of these tangled webs, could at least discern that something was going on beneath the surface of what seemed to be still waters. "Man, ya'll Obelisks are a bunch of drama queens. That's why I'm stayin' in Ra. Erm, beggin your pardon ma'am." He added at the baleful look Jasmine sent him.

She couldn't argue with him on that. "Let's keep moving, we're almost at the Kuriboh hotel."

However, the hotel didn't seem to be getting any closer, no matter how far they walked. And come to think of it, they had just seen that same cop walking a while back…and why the hell were they still on 24th street after walking for twenty minutes?

Mackenzie summoned the darkness, the tendrils grasping greedily within her as they awoke. It always wanted more, and if Mackenzie did not control it carefully it would dominate her completely. As her powers rose from their slumber, the illusion began to crumble in her sight. They had been tricked into walking around the same block multiple times through some weird magic involving the refraction of light. Mirrors. Using the shadow magic granted to her by the power of Tragodeia, Mackenzie dispelled the glamor, revealing that they were in an entirely different part of town, even further away from their destination than when they started out.

"Hey, what in the sam hill?!" Kenzan exclaimed, the group suddenly feeling disoriented by the special displacement. Mackenzie feigned surprise just in time. "Egad, we've been misled!" She exclaimed blandly.

Jasmine clenched a fist. "Come out, whoever you are! You'll regret messing with us!

In the air appeared four mirrors, each perfectly circular and pristine. "At last, one of the ones I seek." The image of a woman with black hair, crimson lipstick, and lavender eyes appeared in the looking glass. "I have already found your compatriot, Unseeable One."

"Speak plainly! We're on a mission to find our friends, and we don't have time for this!" Atticus protested.

"The night is only so long, and I must move quickly. Forgive my rude dismissal, but I only require one of you." Suddenly, the air between the four students shimmered and changed almost imperceptibly. Jasmine was separated from Mackenzie who was separated from the duo of Kenzan and Atticus by invisible walls, as if they were mimes. The barriers were completely impermeable, very little sound passing through the glass.

"What sorcery is this!? Who do you think you are!? Do you work with Sartorius?" Jasmine bellowed, but she was paid no heed.

"Mackenzie! Just hold on, I'll find a way through!" Atticus fruitlessly called. How noble of him to come to her rescue – she looked forward to the day he realized the true depths of her power, and despaired. This magician's trick did not intimidate her, not when the true dark magic, the ancient powers tracing their lineage to the days of Atem and Bakura, were at her beck and call.

Suddenly, the four duelists fell through the ground, tumbling through an endless cavern of mirrors, multi-faceted reflections showing a million tiny images of the same objects. Falling, falling….and they were each somewhere else. While the others screamed, Mackenzie smiled silently and enjoyed the ride.

XxXxXxXxXxXx

(Seto Kaiba POV)

"Fuck, that was a long elevator ride." Kaiba stretched his arms as they exited onto the hotel's roof. It was flat, with a few air conditioning and heating units scattered around the plane. The distinguishing feature was the enormous golden Kuriboh statue at the center of the roof, the structure spinning around slowly as lights flashed from underneath the foundation.

"I agree with your sentiment, if not your foul language." Sartorius yawned before activating his duel disk, taking his place across the makeshift field from his adversary.

"Oh, gag me. You brainwash children and scheme against my company, but saying the word fuck is beyond the pale? But then, I suppose if your like didn't have double standards, you'd have none at all."

"The hypocrisies of humanity are certainly fascinating, mister Kaiba. I, for one, find it interesting that a man who claims to only look to the future still holds a petty grudge over being beaten at a card game once."

Kaiba refused to let the admittedly cutting slight affect his composure. "All people are hypocrites to some degree, it's true. I am what I am, and pretend to be nothing else. That is the difference between us."

"I think in this duel you will find more than that separates us. I will grant you the first turn, to demonstrate. I thank God that I have been granted this opportunity to show a man such as yourself the right path."

"Very well! I was getting tired of talking anyways. Believe me, you'll wish you were facing Yugi after this!" Kaiba's blood roared at the prospect of a real battle, one where he could go all out without hesitation or delay. "I'll start by activating this spell - **The** **Melody of Awakening Dragon**! By discarding a card, I can add two dragons with 3000 or more attack and 2500 or less defense to my hand!" What Kaiba was searching was no mystery. "The card I discarded to activate this effect was **The White Stone of Legend (300/200)**. When it is sent to the graveyard, I'm allowed to add another Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my deck to my hand!"

"From there, I'll play the spell **Trade-In**! By discarding a level eight monster, I can draw two more cards!" Looking upon his two new draws, Kaiba smirked before exploding into a full-on cackle. "Sartorius, if you are truly blessed by divine providence as you claim, then this move should only be a minor hindrance, no? Activate ritual spell, **Advanced Ritual Art**!"

Kaiba was not known for frequently ritual summoning, but the blast had brought about powerful new creatures that required such sacrifices. "By sending a level eight normal monster from my deck to the graveyard, I can ritual summon a level eight ritual monster from my hand!"

Shadowy chains made of black fire interconnected in the sky, forming a pentagram seal through which chaos energy could flow with reckless abandon. "Through the power of chaos magic, my pride and joy, my truest love transforms into an unstoppable force of nature! I ritual summon **Blue-Eyes Chaos MAX Dragon (4000/0)**!"

Even the beautiful and sleek Blue-Eyes White Dragon would look positively pedestrian when placed next to this creature. It was far larger than an "ordinary" Blue-Eyes, and its scales were inlaid with glowing alien neon blue gemstones, reflective and almost holographic in the city lights.

"Don't blink, because I'm only getting started! By revealing a Blue-Eyes White Dragon in my hand, I can special summon **Blue Eyes Alternative White Dragon (3000/2500)** to the field!" This dragon was more similar to the original in looks, although its scales were steely and almost mechanical in comparison.

"Then, for my normal summon, I'll play **Sage with Eyes of Blue (0/1500)**!" This was not a dragon, but a young man with long white hair and piercing azure eyes, his raiment a similarly deep and striking blue. His expression was haughty and aloof. "When this monster is normal summoned, I can add a level one Light Tuner from deck to hand."

"And now, I'll tune the level one Sage with the level eight Blue-Eyes Alternative Dragon for a level nine synchro summon!" Kaiba had practiced the new technique with his brother and Yugi, along with the black Exceed summoning art. Yugi's new cards seemed more conducive to Exceed summoning, while Synchro monsters fit his new strategy better.

"You should have battled me before these new summoning arts came around, Sartorius, because now there is no stopping me! I synchro summon **Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon (2500/3000)** in defense mode!" Through a pillar of green rings emerged a dragon of pure, spectral white. It looked just like a normal Blue-Eyes, only faded and translucent in form, like the morning mist. Against the light of the moon, it was almost impossible to distinguish.

"Then, I'll play a face-down and end my turn!" Kaiba ended with two enormous dragons on his side of the field, each fearsomely strong and packed with strong effects. However, Sartorius' expression remained eerily still, even his eyes not moving. He did not speak as he drew his first card.

"Well, how about it?! If you are a true duelist, this much shouldn't be a challenge for you!" Kaiba provoked.

"A true duelist…I don't believe I am one. To be honest, I dislike dueling. This game was birthed in blood, starting out as an unholy ritual by your Egyptians, the battles waged only to sate the sinful cravings of your so-called gods. It is the same with those accursed Millennium Items, such as the Rod wielded by your ancestor, the Pharaoh's priest. I know they were made with blood magic and human sacrifice. And in return, the pharaoh and his retainers were granted demonic powers with which to rule a country, Atem turning a blind eye to the butchery that granted such power in the first place. If that is what a duelist is, I vowed never to become one. But the Lord of Light, the true god, has called upon me to be a warrior, so that is what I am now. Dueling is the only way anything changes in this world. It is the only way to save this world from the sinners."

"None of that ancient Egyptian bullshit matters to me anymore – it's your sanctimonious performance that really pisses me off. I know what true evil is, Sartorius. I know it better than most." For a moment, Kaiba thought of Yugi's grandfather sprawled on the floor. He thought of a chamber filled with falling blocks, and a chainsaw dipped in oil. The regret stung sharply, like lemon juice squirted into a wound. "So for the last time, shut the fuck up about this savior business and show me your power." Kaiba could not stand the blatant farce.

"Be careful what you wish for, mister Kaiba." Sartorius drew. "I'm going to take everything, you know. Everything. I activate **Cup of Ace**."

A golden chalice appeared on his side of the field. "To use this spell, I must flip a coin. If it lands on heads, I draw two cards. If it lands on tails, you get to draw two cards." Sartorius made to retrieve a coin from his jacket pocket before Kaiba interrupted.

"I'll supply the coin, motherfucker." The CEO pulled out a coin from his wallet and threw it at Sartorius. Sartorius tried to catch it, however – the throw was a little too high and he failed to get it before it went tumbling over the edge of the hotel roof. "Sorry." Sartorius mumbled.

"Fuck! Here's another one." This time Kaiba awkwardly walked over and palmed the penny into Sartorius' palm before grumpily walking back over to his field.

"Anyways…" Sartorius flipped the coin into the air. However, the winds were intense this high up, and once again the coin went clattering down the side of the building. "Oh, forget it. Let's just use the duel disk." The machine had a simple randomizer than simulated a coin flip – it was less dramatic than a real coin, so neither duelist liked to use it unless necessary. Luckily (ha), Sartorius' powers worked just as well on the duel disk as they would on a coin.

"Heads." Sartorius slowly plucked two cards from his deck.

"Lucky. Don't think those gimmicks will get you far against me." Kaiba sneered. He knew the duel disks had several safeguards that would require a mastermind to hack – there was no way Sartorius could afford to hire the sort of talent that could crack the disk. It had to be luck, that's all.

"Then, I'll set a monster and two face-down cards before ending my turn." Sartorius' move was subtle in comparison to Kaiba's ostentatiousness.

"Is that all? FINE!" Kaiba roared. "When Chaos MAX Dragon attacks a monster in defense position, it inflicts doubled piercing damage! Now take this! I attack with Super Ultimate Chaos MAX Burst Stream of Ultimate Destruction!"

Despite the silliness of the attack name, the actual thing was no joke – a pulsing, seemingly living blast of dark flame. "I see." Sartorius said calmly. "I activate my trap card, **Spirit Barrier**. While I have monsters on the field, this trap prevents me from taking battle damage."

"And my defensive monster is **Arcana Force 0 – The Fool (0/0),** which cannot be destroyed by battle." The creature was a bizarre, grey-skinned alien wearing the clothes of a medieval court jester. The fool danced around the flames, making light of the once-fierce attack.

"Spirit Barrier? That's odd." Kaiba mused. The card had some use but it was a niche choice to main deck. "Oh well. During my main phase 2, I set another card and end my turn." Next turn he would find a way around that trap.

"It's my turn. First, I summon **Arcana Force VI – The Lovers (1600/1600)** in attack position." This was another strange creature – it was another alien, vaguely curvy like a human woman, but with abnormally large hands. Kaiba found the monster uniquely disgusting.

"When this monster is summoned, I can flip a coin to decide its effect, as with all Arcana Force monsters." Sartorius showed Kaiba the duel disk's mini-screen, the randomizer again showing heads. "Now, I can treat this monster as two tributes for an Arcana Force monster. Then, I'll play the spell **Double Summon** , its effect being rather obvious."

The Lovers was offered up immediately as a tribute, its life force being used to construct a gigantic alien machine, its steel tendrils curling around a wedged base, powered by an orange energy core. Yellow lights light up the metal surface of the Light of Destruction warship. "I tribute summon **Arcana Force XXI – Za Warudo** – erm, sorry, I just had a bit of a cough, I meant to say **The World (3100/3100)**!"

"Damn it…that thing is even stronger than a Blue-eyes!" Kaiba snarled.

"Yes, but I would have no way of destroying your Chaos Max Dragon normally. 4000 attack points is still quite a lot, even in this brave new world, mister Kaiba. So I will require an additional spell – **Shield and Sword**. This magic switches the attack and defense values of all monsters on the field. Your Chaos MAX dragon cannot be targeted or destroyed by any card effects, it's true. However, Shield and Sword affects all monsters on the field and does not target, so it bypasses your defenses quite handily. And I believe Chaos MAX Dragon's defense value is zero, isn't that correct?" Sartorius asked calmly.

"Who the fuck plays Shield and Sword?" Kaiba couldn't believe it – this deck was completely random, it seemed, using cards that even a rogue strategy wouldn't attempt, and yet it was stifling him, HIM, at every turn!

"The World's defense is the same as its attack value – 3100. Regardless of the inversion, it is the same – much like how destiny must arrive, regardless of man's efforts to impose his will on the world." Sartorius threatened to go into another long speech before Kaiba's groans cut him off. "Oh very well, I will just attack Chaos MAX Dragon then."

The World blasted Kaiba's ritual monster, the yellow explosion pluming to the heavens and sending Kaiba sprawling to the floor. "ARRGH!" The pain was sharp and hot and real. He hadn't felt this since…Egypt. **(Kaiba 900/Sartorius 4000)**

"What the…what are you?! What is this?" He demanded, struggling to his feet after the mighty blow.

"The pain is needed, mister Kaiba. You'll understand once you embrace the light for yourself."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Kaiba's eyes widened.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxX

(Aster Phoenix POV)

He rushed to the front of the hotel with Jaden, his former rival now his companion for the time being – he wondered how many more of these twists and turns the night would bring. Jaden himself was a strange one. Aster still didn't know what he was truly capable of, and his face, always smiling, never gave away anything.

"Alright bro, so here's the lowdown." Jaden stopped him before he could rush through the revolving door. "I should be able to get us up there undetected so long as I use a portal. It'll burn through my energy something fierce, but it will be faster, plus we won't have to deal with the hotel staff."

Aster cocked an eyebrow at him. "And you're certain you'll get us to the right place? You said before you couldn't control that…ability very well." The idea of actually traveling through portals was crazy, but Aster had already seen it done before, and he supposed the darkness had many such powers to those who would learn the black arts.

"Oh, that's only a problem over real long distances. Short ones like this are no sweat, my dude!" Jaden gave a cheesy thumbs-up.

"I am not your dude. Our goals are aligned in this instance, nothing more." He still didn't feel comfortable thinking of Jaden as a friend – it was merely an hour ago they were fighting tooth and nail against each other, and the Slifer Red was a sinner, a wielder of darkness!

"Haha, sure, my bad. Anyways, I'll set up the portal around the corner, so just walk forward and turn at the corner of the building. No, the other way." Jaden pointed Aster in the right direction, turning his shoulders. Aster recoiled from Jaden's touch and violently shrugged him off before the two boys stepped through the dark tunnel. After a short instance, they were standing behind a big temperature control unit that effectively obscured their presence from the duel happening on the roof. As far as they knew, Kaiba and Sartorius has no idea they were there. Which was good, because it appeared Sartorius was in the middle of a monologue – a common occurrence in these duels, but its contents were the remarkable part.

"I said, mister Kaiba, that you will understand once you embrace the light for yourself. All of these pathetic humans will understand, and true peace will be attained, once the light reaches every crack and every crevice. The scum will have no place to hide. Then, this planet will be wiped clean, and we will live in a world free of sinners." Sartorius was rapturous and spoke with deep conviction.

"What on earth is he talking about?" Aster muttered to himself. Sartorius had never talked about wiping the planet clean before, whatever that meant. Their mission was to spread the word of the Light through good deeds…wasn't it?

"Forgive me mister Kaiba, I know how badly you wanted me to stop talking, but it's just so wonderful! At long last, the bloody history of humanity and the cursed game of Duel Monsters will be washed away, the crimson replaced with endless, clean white! A clean world! And it will start with the clipping of the dragon's wings!" Gone was the eerie, calm façade of before – now, Sartorius' body was enshrouded in a violent white aura, the energy lashing out uncontrollably. His blue hair was flowing freely, chaotically. His teeth seemed longer and sharper, and his gaze became downright psychotic.

Aster was shocked speechless, nearly flattened at the intense killing intent Sartorius was exuding. He could barely breathe – the air itself seemed to vibrate with the weight of the power on display. To his credit, Kaiba did not seem to notice it, and Jaden, while clearly struggling, wasn't as bad off as Aster was. "Woah, his fighting spirit's something else!" Jaden noted, impressed. What had he seen in the Spirit World that this would not render him useless?

"I'll end my turn by activating the continuous trap **The Material Lord**!" Although the trap didn't have any effect upon activation, something told Aster that it would come in handy later.

Seto Kaiba had fully recovered from the intense attack, standing tall and proud in the face of his opponent. "I will never let that happen. I have people I need to protect, and more importantly, I won't let some trash duelist like you trample on my pride!" He roared. "It's my turn!"

Aster slumped against the metal box – what had happened to his childhood friend, who had helped him out when he needed it the most? Was this his true nature? Was their shared struggle really just for this? Jaden's expression had grown serious, but not surprised. Did he know this already?

"I activate **Return of the Dragon Lords** , allowing me to summon a dragon from my graveyard! I choose **Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon**!" The metallic white dragon rose from the depths, fiercely defiant in the face of what was revealed to be a cosmic threat.

"I activate my dragon's effect! Once per turn, I can destroy a monster on the field, at the cost of Alternative Dragon not being able to attack this turn!" Kaiba was sweating, fighting on against a cosmic, godlike entity. The Blue-Eyes launched a ferocious stream of blue against The World, the metal sloughing into nothingness against the concentrated laser. It took a bit of time, but the machine was eventually broken down.

"Now, die!" The sheer mass of duel energy had pushed Kaiba into survival mode, and he was no longer mincing words or intent. Its like had not been seen since the days of Zorc and the Orichalcos. "Blue Eyes Spirit Dragon, attack directly!"

The rushing beam of astral energy struck Sartorius, and now he was the one reeling in pain, clutching his side as he dropped to one knee. Blood seeped from his mouth, dripping off at the chin and staining his white coat. "Damn this weak vessel…damn it!" **(Kaiba 900/Sartorius 1500)**

In between hitched breaths, Kaiba laughed madly. He felt the reason leave his body in the madness of combat, and he loved it! "Careful! It looks like you got some blood on your pretty white clothes!"

Sartorius stumbled, but he did manage to stand eventually. "Aaaaah….well struck. Destiny has great plans for your strength, when you serve the light."

"I decide my own fate! No one else!" Kaiba snarled.

"Oh? I suppose you have always been a skeptic, mister Kaiba. In truth, I am glad you were my first true opponent. Even after I have had my fill of toying with these humans, after I have destroyed this planet and this solar system and this entire galaxy, I doubt I will require the use of more power than right now, against you. So count yourself fortunate, for this is where it will all originate! The end of Earth, and the dawn of a new day!" Sartorius drew.

"I activate another copy of **Cup of Ace**!" Kaiba watched on tenterhooks as the duel disk signaled a coin flip result of heads again.

"You are a fucking cheater! There's no way that anyone could be so lucky!" Kaiba's voice was growing hoarse from the shouting.

Sartorius only response was a contemptuous smile as he slowly drew the cards. "Now, I'll play two cards face-down before activating the spell card **Suit of Sword X**!"

The card showed a hill of swords, each lined up and plunged into the earth against the backdrop of a crescent moon. "But this sword is double-edged, for its effect relies on a coin flip. If I call heads, than all of your monsters are destroyed. If I call tails, then all of my monsters are destroyed. Of course, since I have no monsters on my field, I only take a minus one if I call the toss incorrectly."

At this point, the whole ceremony was mocking, since everyone knew the coin flip would be whatever Sartorius wished it to be. "He's able to manipulate fate using the Light's power." Jaden whispered. "Talk about bad sportsmanship!"

"To use the Light's power to deceive like this…I never thought Sartorius capable of such a thing." If this was the real Sartorius, Aster was beginning to realize he never knew the man at all.

"The result is heads!" Sartorius declared as a storm of swords rained from the sky, their path set on Kaiba's dragons.

"From the graveyard, I use the effect of Return of the Dragon Lords! By banishing it from the graveyard, I can prevent the destruction of my dragons one time!" Kaiba swiped his hand, and a green barrier materialized in front of his two beasts, the swords harmlessly bouncing off of it. "You see! Even with your pathetic cheating, I can still outplay you!"

"Honor is merely the privilege of the strong, who know they can afford to weaken themselves with a cloak of false morality. The Lord's blessing is all I need, not the approval of sinful men." Sartorius replied easily. "Next, I'll set another monster before activating the spell **One Day of Peace**. Each of us gets to draw one card, but neither of us can inflict any damage until the end of your next turn."

"I draw!" Kaiba continued. This card wasn't very useful – and what a time to brick! "I'll use Blue Eyes' effect again to destroy your set monster." The face-down creature was Arcana Force I – The Magician (1100/1100) – it was easily blasted away, but the victory was hollow since Kaiba still couldn't inflict any damage.

"Then, I'll switch Blue-Eyes Alternative and Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon to defense mode. I set a card and end my turn." Kaiba huffed.

"My turn." Sartorius smiled. "First, I'll play **Foolish Burial** , allowing me to send Arcana Force XII – The Hanged Man from deck to the grave. This triggers my other trap card, **The Spiritual Lord**. Then, from my hand, I'll activate the third of the Lord Pillars – the continuous spell **The Sky Lord**!"

The three continuous cards weren't on the field for long, however. Almost immediately, their forms began to evaporate into mist and light. "By sending the three lord pillars – Material, Spiritual, and Sky – I can summon a particular monster from my deck to the field!"

Green, red, and blue spiraled together and took solid shape, forming a wall of light that eventually gave way to a tremendous creature. "I summon **Arcana Force EX – The Light Ruler (4000/4000)**!" The alien construct's main body was covered in dark blue alloy with crimson accents, a single eye unblinking out of its head. Two serpentine extensions coiled from its frame, their ends in the shape of dragon's heads.

"Is that your big bad boss monster?" Kaiba sneered.

Sartorius did not deign to respond. "Attack the Blue-Eyes Alternative Dragon!" In an instant, the Light Ruler let loose a wall of white energy that quickly engulfed the monster. "Urk!" Kaiba struggled to keep a lid on the pain as his monster was destroyed.

"When the Light Ruler destroys a monster, I can add a card from my graveyard to my hand." Sartorius retrieved a Cup of Ace, which he then immediately activated. For the third time, he got heads, letting him draw two. He set them quickly and ended his turn.

"Even with all of this blatant cheating, even with you drawing half of your deck off of that fucking Cup of Ace, you still won't beat me! " Kaiba declared. "I play **Card of Demise** – this lets me draw five cards, so long as I discard my hand in five turns." Of course, Card of Demise was far less powerful in Jamie Lancaster's reality, but no one present knew that.

Now, bear witness to true power, power that surpasses all of the so-called gods! I cast the spell **Dragon's Mirror**!"

In the sky, an enormous looking glass overlooked the dueling field, the lights of the city glaring off of it. "This allows me to fusion summon a dragon monster using materials from my graveyard! My three Blue-Eyes, take a new form – the ultimate creature of destruction! I summon **Neo** **Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon (4500/3800)**!"

The glass shattered, the holographic shards raining harmlessly upon the field. From the now empty mirror frame emerged the three-headed dragon, more a silvery chrome in color than white, and replete in metallic scales. The dragon could be seen from any point in the city, even from the sea. Jaden and Aster were frozen behind the A/C unit, speechless at the sight of the dragon that surpassed the gods. The Synchro Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon next to it looked like a puppy.

"Don't feel bad, Sartorius. You never really stood a chance against my power." Kaiba said quietly as each head of the dragon charged an energy beam.

"You and your ambitions are over – Lancaster has probably already defeated your puppet Aster, and once I find these duel spirits you've recruited, they will share your fate. Blame yourself for involving magic – otherwise, you might have lived another day. Oh well. Now be a good man and tell God this when you get to heaven – I plan on buying the place out someday, and I'll beat any price he names!" Kaiba thrust his hand outward, signaling the attack.

Only the attack the never came. Each of the dragon's necks were choked with black rings, bombs encircling the metal. "What?" He exclaimed before looking over to Sartorius' field, finding a flipped-over trap card.

"I believe you already have some familiarity with this particular card. It's called **Ring of Destruction**. This game is over." Sartorius coldly intoned.

"Hmph, a draw? So be it, then. If you think you will escape my wrath just because of that..." Kaiba snickered.

"I activate my final set card. This should be familiar to you as well. **Ring of Defense**." A green shield materialized in front of Sartorius, protecting him from any effect damage."

Kaiba could only stare on in silence and shock as the explosions went off, the remains of the proud dragon disappearing like fog in the night air. "How dare you…how dare you?!" **(Kaiba 0/Sartorius 1500)**

Sartorius let out a sigh of relief, his features becoming calm and eerie once again as his white aura gradually cooled down. He stumbled for a moment before walking over to Kaiba, who was down on one knee.

"It appears I am the victor. By your logic, that makes me correct, and my ideology more legitimate, doesn't it?" Sartorius said as he caught his breath.

Kaiba's expression was of the purest rage. "You dare judge me?! ME!? You played trash cards, you cheated every step of the way with your parlor tricks, and even then it almost wasn't enough! How dare you!?"

"In the pursuit of noblest ends, any means are justified. Is that not also your belief? You certainly spare your enemies no mercy unless the King of Games is breathing down your neck. You believe yourself above judgment, when you have destroyed countless in your pursuit of power? The Light weighs all of our sins, even the mighty White Dragon's. But worry not, for in service you will atone." Sartorius opened his palm. "I told you I was going to take everything."

"I…I can't move! What have you done?" Kaiba shouted. "YOU FUCKING SCUM! You will pay for this in blood! I swear you will! You third-rate trash duelist!"

"Before your baptism, would you care to speak a final word as your former self?" Sartorius offered with a wide smile.

"You have no right to judge me." Seto Kaiba said, staring right into Sartorius' eyes.

"Fitting. Now be warned – this will be more painful if you resist." Sartorius cast a white veil over the defeated dragon's genuflected frame, and Kaiba screamed. The endless shrieks of agony echoed off the buildings and into the uncaring sky.

"I can't watch this any more!" Jaden moved to get up, but Aster forced him back down.

"No! It's too late – when this duel started, the wheel of fate was already spinning. There's nothing we can do, he'll destroy us both if we fight now. We have to get out of here." Aster shook his head.

"You don't want to help your friend?" Jaden asked seriously, evidently not sure how Aster would answer.

"Of course not. Whatever that thing is, it is not Sartorius. For my friend's sake, and for justice, I will offer you my assistance."

Jaden nodded, realizing that was about as good as he was going to get from Aster. "Okay, then let's roll out. I should be able to get us to the ground, but from there we'll have to escape on foot, so get ready to run in that suit of yours."

Kaiba's screams ceased, and the rooftop was utterly silent. "Whew, that took a lot of energy. He was tough to subdue. Anyways," Sartorius cleared his throat. "Arise and be reborn, child of the light." The Light duelist's voice was rich and satisfied.

Peering over the box, the two boys saw Kaiba stand, his eyes blank and cold. "Thank you, Sartorius. Where once I was blind, now I see. From this day forward, I will serve the Light humbly, to atone for my past misdeeds." He said robotically.

Sartorius smiled. "It gladdens my heart to hear that. Embrace me, brother, and let us reaffirm our mission."

They hugged, a sight that Aster found uniquely chilling.

"A clean world, free of sinners." They said simultaneously. "Do you sense the watchers, Seto? Now that the duel is finished, I've finally noticed them." Sartorius asked casually, causing Jaden and Aster to glance at each other nervously. Jaden clasped his hands together, summoning the power of the Gentle Darkness.

"I do, now that my eyes have been opened." Kaiba responded. Seeing that there was no longer any point in hiding, Aster and Jaden sprung out of hiding and began backing away from the two now-allies.

"Aster, I see you managed to deal with that Lancaster boy. I suppose he wasn't too much of a threat after all. But…what are you doing with Jaden?" Sartorius' voice was full of concern, but it all rang false to Aster now. He didn't particularly care to correct Sartorius' mistaken assumption about Jamie Lancaster either.

"We heard everything, and we're not gonna let you get away with your plan!" Jaden spoke up boldly, shaking his fist at Sartorius.

"Ah." Sartorius' smile faded. "That was not intended for you to hear. I'm sorry, Aster. I really am." He advanced upon Aster with a grim expression.

"You lied to me…all of these years you pretended to be my friend…why?!" Aster bellowed at him.

"I never lied about being your friend. I truly did want to help you find a better path…and that path is with the light. Please, join my side once more. You, along with the rest of the light's children will be the founders of a new world, one without the dregs of humanity." Sartorius' words sounded so sincere, so emotional, that it was hard for Aster to dismiss them.

But the truth was different – he could tell because it was so hard to face. "I can't. Not when I've just seen you brainwash someone, not when I've heard you talk of mankind's extermination. The true god would never approve of this, nor would Sartorius! Who are you and what have you done with my friend?" Aster accused.

"Very astute." Sartorius nearly growled. "Then there is little left to discuss. Especially if you've made common cause with Jaden Yuki, the Supreme King of Darkness."

"I answer mainly to my lord, but my liege is also acceptable." Jaden snarked before tugging on Aster's arm. "Come on, we need to go!"

Aster cried, "Sartorius…I will find a way to get you back!"

With a heave of effort, Jaden successfully opened the dark portal. The last thing Aster saw before falling through the gate were the placid, eerie faces of Sartorius and Kaiba. When he got his bearings again, they were on the ground, in front of the hotel's main entrance. Jaden looked visibly exhausted, but he pressed on anyways.

"Hurry! There's no time! We have to get somewhere safe!" Jaden urged, weaving through the throngs of people on the sidewalk in an effort to lose the surely pursuing Sartorius and Kaiba.

"I don't take orders from you!" Aster grumbled, though he did as Jaden bid anyways.

XxXxXxXxXxXXxXxxXxXx

(Reggie Mackenzie POV)

Mackenzie found herself alone in the downtown fervor. Here, the cars were moving faster, and the lights seemed brighter and more vivid, totally electric. In the heart of the concrete beast, everything became more intense. The steel obelisks sparkled violently, blocking out the sky but for a mocking patch of blotted, faint stars. The faces of the city dwellers seemed connected by electricity, except for one. This face did not belong, not here, not anywhere. The body language was curiously guarded and weird and thus it intrigued her tremendously. She was attracted to the energy within, if only because it was so bizarre and seemingly inexplainable.

"Well well, a wild Lancaster appears." Mackenzie drolly observed. Jamie was dressed in an inconspicuous hoodie and joggers, clearly planning on avoiding attention. But avoiding attention from whom?

His eyes flashed inscrutably upon recognizing her. "You move quietly, Mackenzie. You know, the city is full of danger tonight. You shouldn't be out by yourself." The neon lights above washed the street in fluorescent purple light.

"I could say the same of you. I did have some friends with me, but it seems we got separated. Would you believe me if I told you it was by accident?" Mackenzie enjoyed playing word games with him, and she knew he got a bit of a thrill from it as well. She didn't even care so much for "winning" the battle of wits, but rather she enjoyed playing for the sheer pleasure of harassing and sparring against a formidable adversary. It mattered little when she knew she could win the battles involving cards - that was the only battle that really counted.

"A happy accident, perhaps…" Jamie replied.

"So, are you out on business for mister Kaiba, or is this a personal outing? The city has many pleasures, as well as dangers." She warned playfully.

"A little business and a little pleasure. Destroying my enemies does bring me a certain sense of…enjoyment and the night is still young." Jamie admitted.

"I completely agree." Mackenzie answered with a smile. "I fear our enemies have found poor Jaden. He sent his little henchman Syrus a message that he was in this city, but nothing more after that. I hope he has not run afoul of wicked Aster Phoenix and his master Sartorius."

"Jaden does have many qualities that would inspire someone to seek him out. Did you know his Winged Kuriboh is a duel spirit? I didn't, until recently." Jamie teased. Her smile faded, realizing that Jamie somehow knew she wanted Winged Kuriboh. Did he know why? "Duel Spirits have frequently been a thorn in my side, but at least someone stole Chazz Princeton's Light and Darkness Dragon from him for me. That man has always annoyed me. I would thank the one who did the deed. If only I knew whom to thank." Jamie's eyes bored into her.

"Well, let me know if you ever find that person. So, you're out on your own. Does the headmaster know about this little indiscretion?" Mackenzie redirected the subject, stamping down the trace of nervousness within.

"Oh yes, the headmaster's disapproval would be incredibly damning." Jamie said sarcastically. "I was hoping to avoid Crowler's fearsome wrath by bringing back the missing Jaden – the two have always gotten along well -, but sadly I have no idea where he is."

"Really." The word slowly unfurled from her lips. "For some reason I don't believe that."

"He is a good friend. We fought Kagemaru the Immortal together, and have had many good times besides. I would never abandon him." Jamie's words were emotive, perhaps the first sincere ones he had said to her this night. "And I would never let anyone hurt my friends. Call that cheesy, call that corny, I don't care."

"We're friends, aren't we Jamie?" Mackenzie asked, putting a little extra sweetness into his name. She knew better than most that he wasn't made of stone when it came to the opposite sex. "I'd like to think we are."

"Oh, please." Jamie's face curdled with disgust, his patience with this charade clearly reaching its limits.

"We are, really! We have so much in common. Why, I think I understand you better than most of these silly schoolchildren. Far more than Miss Rhodes, despite her familiarity with your body." She enjoyed watching his eyes widen in shock and terror. "Oh yes, and I'm not the only one who knows. Trust me, the other one is enjoying the watching more than me."

"Who else?" Jamie leaned in and spoke lowly.

"Someone in blue." She chirped. "Oh come on, what's the big deal? Of all your little secrets, I'd wager this one is one of the less important to prevent getting out. And I confess, I've gotten my own certain sense of enjoyment from watching you and her play…" She quickly dragged him into the alleyway and pinned him against the wall, her fingers trailing along his neck. She was taller than him, and he couldn't prevent his eyes from staring at her breasts. "We are just the same, you and I."

After a moment of hesitation, he grew angry and shoved her away. "Leave me alone. You know nothing about me. Nothing!" His green irises were ablaze with a mixture of hatred and desire. Before she could respond, however, they both caught sight of another mysterious mirror shimmering into existence at the end of the alley. Behind them, an identical mirror materialized, trapping the both of them in the narrow passageway.

"Ah, there you are…the Unseeable Ones." The black-haired woman from before appeared in the glass. Strangely, Jamie seemed to recognize her, his anger still stoked.

"You! I know you!" He shouted.

"Come this way. Step into the mirror, either one. I wish to test your powers for myself, for they are neither the Light of Destruction nor the Darkness of Creation." The _miko_ said cryptically.

"I imagine you have a certain incentive to ensure our cooperation with your experiment." Jamie said.

"Why, yes." The mirror's image warped and twisted until it showed two cartoon animals, one of which being a brown Tyrannosaurus Rex while the other was a black-scaled dragon with chibi-cute crimson eyes. "Kenzan and Atticus will be granted the opportunity to escape their Fursonas if your efforts prove satisfactory."

Mackenzie couldn't help but chuckle at the predicament the two simpletons were put in. "Very well – it seems we have no choice if we mean to rescue our dear friends, isn't that so Jamie?'

"…yes." He ground out. "It appears we will have to work together."

"Oh come now, you make it sound terrible." She grinned. _"You had best be careful Lancaster…I'd like to have some fun with you, but if the opportunity arises to dispose of a potential threat…I just may have no choice but to take it. Nothing personal, sweetie."_

She had no doubt he was thinking the same thing. Minus the sweetie part.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxxXx

(The Chazz Princeton POV)

Thick clouds blotted the coastline, unusually violet peals of lightning arcing along their puffy surfaces. The city looked calm at a glance, but he knew that battles of all sorts were taking place within. When he focused, he saw white dragons encircling the KaibaCorp headquarters. Near some hotel, he saw Crowler's Ancient Gear Golem looming over, its single red eye glaring. _"The big bitch."_ He thought with a tight frown. And at each corner of the city, a translucent barrier impeded entry or exit to all but those with the sight and the strength to make their way through by force. There were petty kings on every corner, and the thought riled his humors. Two steely grey submarines docked quietly in Domino City, but inside the stereo systems were blasting 80's rock music.

 _"~I was born to run, I was born to dream – the craziest boy you've ever seen…I've gotta do it my way, or no way at all~"_

"It looks like they're fighting duel spirits, the spirits of the Monarchs. If this Sartorius guy was able to recruit spirits if this caliber, he's gotta be pretty strong." Jesse Anderson surmised casually, his feet resting on an empty stool. Inside, the submarine was bathed in red light.

"Landfall in five minutes – please prepare for departure." The pilot intoned.

 _"~And I was here to please, I'm even on my knees, making love to whoever I please! I gotta do it my way, I gotta do it my way!~"_

"Hmph! And would you look at the time – it's Chazz O'Clock!" The Chazz Princeton stood near the pilot's cabin, his arms crossed. In the other ships sat dozens of northerners – they had come south on a mission of mercy, though for whom…The Chazz was glad to keep them guessing until the last second. _"My friend, I'm coming to your rescue. Mark my words, I won't fail this time."_ The Chazz outwardly boasted, but inwardly his vow was solemn.

 _"~And then you came around, tried to tie me down, I was such a clown…you had to have it your way, but I'm saying no way!~"_

At the crack of thunder, The Chazz clenched his fists. "It is time to take back what is mine! Light and Darkness Dragon, once you are back at my side we will remind all of these people who the true successor to the title of King of Games is! It's not Jaden Yuki, nor Jamie Lancaster, not Aster Phoenix or especially Reggie Mackenzie! It is Chazz Princeton, the Black Thunderbolt and the King in the North! Come at me, you fucking virgins! I'll fight all of you!"

Jesse bemusedly chuckled at The Chazz's grandstanding, while the Ojama duel spirits chanted "Chazz it up! Chazz it up! Chazz it up!"

 _"~So why don't you turn me loose, turn me loose, turn me loose! I gotta do it my way, or no way at all!~"_ Loverboy's vocalist crooned as the Northerners made landfall.

"For the glory of The Chazz!" The northerners made their battle cry known.

 **A/N**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**

 **I expect there will be some controversy with the result of the duel - believe me, as a Kaiba fanboy, parts of this were painful to write, but I believe it is in keeping with Kaiba's showings in the original Duel Monsters series. Everyone who has ever taken a W off Kaiba in canon or filler had to cheat in order to do – I know some people get triggered when I point out that Yugi is cheating when he duels characters without supernatural powers, so sure, he's not cheating. He's just utilizing a resource that his opponent doesn't have access to in order to secure an advantage. There, that's way better right? LMAO people get salty about that (because it's true) so I'll stop, but my point is that historically, Kaiba only loses against opponents who are cheating their ass off with supernatural powers, which is exactly what Sartorius is doing here. We'll have to see how Mokuba and Yugi, among others, step up in response to this. Yugi will certainly regret not being more active in this matter. I hope you found this duel convincing, this was actually one of my first concepts when I was first thinking of this story, along with Jamie and Jaden vs Kagemaru and another scene coming up.**

 **I know there is a lot going on in the plot right now, I hope it really captures the chaotic feeling of a group being separated in a busy city. To refresh, we have:**

 **\- Jamie and Mackenzie currently en route to rescue Kenzan and Atticus from Sarina, Sartorius' sister. This is similar to the situation in canon where Jaden and Aster teamed up to rescue Syrus and Kenzan from Sarina. Kenzan and Atticus did try to duel Sarina in this story but obviously they were defeated rather quickly. Atticus in the manga is an extremely top tier duelist on par with Zane, and he even copped a W off Jaden. In this story, he is more at his anime level of skill. Sarina's motivations will be revealed more in depth next chapter but they are not too different from canon at the end of the day. Meanwhile, there is tension of all sorts between Jamie and Mackenzie that will certainly complicate matters.**

 **\- Chazz, Jesse, and a group of Northerners arriving in the city for reasons unknown. I have always had a soft spot for Loverboy's song Turn Me Loose, which is also the title of one of my favorite Harry Potter fics, so I thought to make it The Chazz's theme song. And I am strongly considering referring to him as "The Chazz" all the time from now on.**

 **\- Jaden and Aster escaping from Sartorius and a possessed Seto Kaiba.**

 **\- Jasmine has been separated from the rest of her group, and her location is unknown at the moment.**

 **\- There are at least four Monarch duel spirits left in the city, perhaps more.**

 **\- Mokuba and Roland are on the lookout for the Monarchs, although their plans will certainly change once they are updated on the recent developments.**

 **\- Yugi is chilling at home looking after his grandfather. He will also certainly act upon getting an update from someone.**

 **\- Crowler and the rest of the Duel Academy students are at the hotel. Crowler and Bastion are worn out from their duels against the Monarchs, but Alexis, Erin, Syrus, and Adam are still fresh. Btw I'm glad Crowler's characterization seemed to work for you guys last time, I wasn't sure about how that would play.**

 **So yeah there is a lot going on but I hope to bring things together in a satisfactory manner. I hope you all continue to enjoy the story and thanks for your continued readership!**


End file.
